Dollar opens higher with tension in the Middle East and US data on the radar

a Accumulated for the week: +1.88%; Accumulated for the month: +2.16%; Accumulated for the year: --5.64%. ?Ibovespa

Accumulated for the week: 0%; Accumulated for the week: -3.06%; Accumulated for the month: -6.05%; Accumulated for the year: +3.79%. Trump claims control of Hormuz The standoffs between the US and Iran continue to bring volatility to oil prices on the international market. The day before, according to information from Bloomberg, Trump stated that he had control of the Strait of Hormuz, a route through which around 20% of all global trade in the commodity passes. The information, however, was denied by Iran, which continues to carry out intermittent attacks on ships transiting the region. According to data released by Reuters, the number of vessels monitored in the Strait fell to eight on Tuesday, the lowest level in a week. The drop indicates that ships remain wary of crossing the channel, amid the tensions and attacks reported. What is the Strait of Hormuz, crucial for world oil? At the same time, negotiations between the two countries for a peace agreement appear to be at an impasse. Over the weekend, Iran released a list of demands for the reopening of the Strait and stated that the US will need to meet the demands for Tehran to allow vessels to pass. The information comes from the American newspaper "The New York Times" (NYT), based on a statement published by Iranian state media. Among the demands are: the suspension of the naval blockade and American sanctions against Iran; the withdrawal of American troops from the country's vicinity; the payment of war reparations; the release of frozen Iranian assets; the end of attacks against Iranian allies in the region; and the end of threats against the country. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi also said the country and Oman were "very close" to an agreement on a new shipping route through the Strait. "There is progress between Oman and Iran in the strait, and we hope for a deal soon," a US official told Reuters on Friday. "As soon as the agreement to reestablish unimpeded commercial shipping is announced, the United States will lift the blockade on Iranian ports." On Monday, however, Trump mocked Iran's demand for compensation that should be paid by Washington for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. US inflation in line with expectations US consumer inflation rose 0.2% in July, while the core index, which excludes more volatile prices, increased 0.1%. The results were in line with market expectations and showed inflation closer to normal behavior after the fall in energy prices helped the index in June. For Vinicius Flores, investment manager and partner at Stratton Capital, the data represents a normalization of American inflation. According to him, rental prices accounted for around two thirds of the increase recorded in July, a relevant factor because this category tends to take longer to reflect changes in prices. Core inflation, which is still above the Fed's 2% target, slowed from 2.6% to 2.5% in 12 months. In Flores' opinion, as the result was very close to expectations, the next inflation data before the Fed meeting in September should have more weight in the decision on interest rates. "With current data, the expectation for the Fed's next decision is unlikely to change, with the highest probability being that interest rates will remain unchanged," he said. After the release of the data, the yields on US government bonds, known as Treasuries, and the index that measures the performance of the dollar against other currencies fell. Global stock markets On Wall Street, the main American stock indices closed without a single direction this Wednesday, while investors evaluated new American inflation data and reflected on company results. The Dow Jones fell 0.06%, while the S&P 500 rose 0.26% and the Nasdaq Composite av