FT News Briefing How the world is preparing for oil shortages
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Apr 16, 2026 
Ryan McMurrow, FT journalist on China tech, joins Camilla Palladino, deputy head of Lex. They dig into looming oil shortages, fuel-saving plans and rationing fears as disruption in the Strait of Hormuz deepens. There is also Trump’s renewed pressure on Jay Powell, China’s new export shock hitting Europe, and Allbirds’ bizarre pivot from wool sneakers to AI compute.
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Gulf States Chose Private Debt For Wartime Cash
- Gulf states quietly used private bond deals to raise cash fast after the US-Iran war damaged energy exports and infrastructure.
- Abu Dhabi, Qatar, and Kuwait avoided public markets, where wartime borrowing costs were more uncertain, and raised nearly $10bn this month.
How An Oil Shock Turns Into Global Rationing
- A closed Strait of Hormuz is shifting the problem from delayed deliveries to outright scarcity, then to who can still afford oil at higher prices.
- Camilla Palladino cites US reserve releases, Australian fuel-saving appeals, Bangladesh AC limits, and Cambodia remote work as early rationing-style responses.
Oil Disruption Could Speed The Energy Transition
- If disruption lasts, governments will pursue both new export routes and faster electrification, making the crisis a catalyst for reducing fossil-fuel dependence.
- Camilla Palladino says pipelines take years, but sustained high prices push households toward solar panels and EVs and push governments toward renewables.