Closure of Strait of Hormuz Drives Fertilizer Prices Up
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Mar 19 2026
0mins
Should l Buy MOS?
Source: CNBC
- Fertilizer Price Surge: The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has caused global nitrogen fertilizer prices to spike from $350 per ton to nearly $600, imposing significant economic strain on farmers and potentially leading to higher food prices that could disrupt farming decisions and profit margins.
- Political Ramifications: With midterm elections approaching, Democrats are leveraging the rise in fertilizer prices to criticize Trump and his economic policies, aiming to regain voter support in agricultural states like Iowa and Minnesota that have shifted Republican in recent years.
- Government Aid Discussions: Prior to the outbreak of war, Congress was discussing a $15 billion farmer bailout plan, which may now be bundled with supplemental spending for the Iran conflict, reflecting a growing concern for farmer support amid rising costs.
- Agricultural Security Risks: The President of the American Farm Bureau Federation warned that without prioritizing fertilizer supply issues, the U.S. risks crop shortages that threaten food security and economic stability, potentially exacerbating inflationary pressures across the economy.
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Analyst Views on MOS
Wall Street analysts forecast MOS stock price to rise
13 Analyst Rating
6 Buy
7 Hold
0 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 25.000
Low
24.00
Averages
32.38
High
43.00
Current: 25.000
Low
24.00
Averages
32.38
High
43.00
About MOS
The Mosaic Company is a producer and marketer of concentrated phosphate and potash crop nutrients. The Company’s segments include Phosphates, Potash and Mosaic Fertilizantes. The Phosphates segment sells phosphate-based crop nutrients and animal feed ingredients throughout North America and internationally. The Potash business segment owns and operates potash mines and production facilities in Canada and the United States, which produces potash-based crop nutrients, animal feed ingredients and industrial products, and is sold both in domestic and international. The Mosaic Fertilizantes Segment produces and sells phosphate- and potash-based crop nutrients, and animal feed ingredients, in Brazil. In addition to phosphate rock mines and chemical plants, this segment consists of sales offices, crop nutrient blending and bagging facilities, port terminals and warehouses in Brazil and Paraguay. This segment also serves as a distribution outlet for its Phosphates and Potash segments.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
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- Cautious Market Reaction: Trump's declaration of wanting to 'take Iran's oil' while suggesting a 'peace deal could be made fairly quickly' has left markets feeling uneasy, leading investors to adopt a risk-averse stance as Asia-Pacific markets fell sharply on Monday.
- Military Deployment Escalation: The Pentagon is reportedly preparing for weeks of ground operations in Iran, with thousands of American soldiers and Marines arriving in the Middle East, raising concerns about an escalation in the Iran conflict that could disrupt global supply chains and increase prices.
- Rising Oil Price Pressure: Oil prices are climbing again as the conflict intensifies, particularly after Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis fired missiles at Israel, heightening fears over energy supply disruptions that could impact the global economy.
- Shipping Route Risks: The Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route, is being impeded by the ongoing war, with industry leaders warning that if it does not reopen by mid-April, supply disruptions could worsen significantly, affecting operations across various sectors.
See More
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- Ground Operation Preparations: The Pentagon is preparing for weeks of ground operations in Iran, with thousands of American soldiers and Marines arriving in the Middle East, which could exacerbate market uncertainty and impact oil prices.
- Strait of Hormuz Risks: Industry leaders warn that the vital shipping route of the Strait of Hormuz must reopen by mid-April, or supply disruptions could worsen significantly, further driving up oil prices.
- Market Reaction Fatigue: Following reports of potential ground operations, U.S. equity futures fell on Sunday evening, and Asia-Pacific markets also declined at Monday's open, reflecting investor fatigue over the conflict's headlines and concerns about the future.
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- Strait of Hormuz Developments: Trump noted that Iran allowed 10 oil tankers to pass through the Strait of Hormuz this week as a 'gesture of goodwill' towards the U.S., although Iran has not publicly commented, highlighting the delicate nature of the situation.
- Shipping Legislation Impact: Iran is preparing legislation to impose tolls on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, which could further affect global shipping costs and increase uncertainty in international trade.
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- Dismal Growth Outlook: The OECD has also lowered the UK's growth forecast for 2026 to 0.5%, down 0.5 percentage points from earlier predictions, reflecting severe challenges to economic recovery due to rising international oil and gas prices.
- Energy Price Shock: The ongoing conflict in Iran has disrupted energy supplies, leading to heightened energy price pressures in the UK, with the OECD noting that this will raise costs and exacerbate inflationary pressures, particularly given the UK's heavy reliance on energy imports.
- Monetary Policy Challenges: With inflation on the rise, the Bank of England's anticipated interest rate cuts are now in jeopardy, and economists warn that if the conflict persists, rate hikes may be necessary to combat escalating price pressures.
See More
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- Cautious Market Reaction: Trump's declaration of wanting to 'take Iran's oil' while suggesting a 'peace deal could be made fairly quickly' has left markets feeling uneasy, leading investors to adopt a risk-averse stance as Asia-Pacific markets fell sharply on Monday.
- Military Deployment Escalation: The Pentagon is reportedly preparing for weeks of ground operations in Iran, with thousands of American soldiers and Marines arriving in the Middle East, raising concerns about an escalation in the Iran conflict that could disrupt global supply chains and increase prices.
- Rising Oil Price Pressure: Oil prices are climbing again as the conflict intensifies, particularly after Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis fired missiles at Israel, heightening fears over energy supply disruptions that could impact the global economy.
- Shipping Route Risks: The Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route, is being impeded by the ongoing war, with industry leaders warning that if it does not reopen by mid-April, supply disruptions could worsen significantly, affecting operations across various sectors.
See More
Escalating Impact of Iran War on Oil Markets
- Surge in Oil Prices: U.S. crude prices have surged over 50% since late February, with Brent up more than 55%, indicating that market concerns over the Iran war are escalating and could lead to greater disruptions in global supply chains.
- Ground Operation Preparations: The Pentagon is preparing for weeks of ground operations in Iran, with thousands of American soldiers and Marines arriving in the Middle East, which could exacerbate market uncertainty and impact oil prices.
- Strait of Hormuz Risks: Industry leaders warn that the vital shipping route of the Strait of Hormuz must reopen by mid-April, or supply disruptions could worsen significantly, further driving up oil prices.
- Market Reaction Fatigue: Following reports of potential ground operations, U.S. equity futures fell on Sunday evening, and Asia-Pacific markets also declined at Monday's open, reflecting investor fatigue over the conflict's headlines and concerns about the future.
See More
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Price Target Increase: UBS raised its price target on CF Industries to $140 from $97, citing potential for further upside in nitrogen prices and CF's earnings.
Market Performance: CF Industries and UAN stocks have significantly outperformed peers in the fertilizer space, with both gaining about 0.5% recently, while UAN has surged over 71% year-to-date.
Impact of Middle East Tensions: Rising tensions in the Middle East have contributed to a spike in global nitrogen prices, with urea futures surging over 50% since the onset of the conflict.
Investor Sentiment: Retail investor sentiment remains cautious for both CF and UAN stocks, with mixed opinions on future performance amid ongoing geopolitical uncertainties.
See More
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- Attack Pause Extended: President Trump has extended the pause on potential U.S. attacks on Iranian energy facilities until April 6, warning Iranian negotiators to take negotiations seriously soon, as failure to do so could have dire consequences, which may impact market confidence in the region.
- Oil Price Fluctuations: Oil prices fell in early trading on Friday, with Brent and WTI on track for their steepest weekly drop in six months due to market skepticism about the peace talks, potentially affecting the stock performance of energy-related companies.
- Troop Deployment: The U.S. is preparing to send approximately 3,000 troops to the Middle East, raising speculation about a possible ground attack on Iran, which could escalate regional tensions and influence global market sentiment.
- Legal Developments: A federal judge in San Francisco granted a preliminary injunction to Anthropic against the Trump administration, ruling that the government's blacklisting of the company may constitute illegal retaliation under the First Amendment, which could affect the relationship between the tech industry and the government.
See More
Iran War's Escalating Impact on Global Economy
- Market Impact from Oil Surge: The ongoing Iran war has led to rising oil prices, causing U.S. stock indexes to fall again, with market participants expressing skepticism towards Trump's optimistic outlook, indicating growing concerns about future economic conditions.
- Strait of Hormuz Developments: Trump noted that Iran allowed 10 oil tankers to pass through the Strait of Hormuz this week as a 'gesture of goodwill' towards the U.S., although Iran has not publicly commented, highlighting the delicate nature of the situation.
- Shipping Legislation Impact: Iran is preparing legislation to impose tolls on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, which could further affect global shipping costs and increase uncertainty in international trade.
- OECD Economic Forecast Downgrade: The OECD predicts that the UK will be the most affected developed economy by the Iran war, forecasting inflation to reach 4% this year and downgrading growth expectations for 2026 to 0.5%, reflecting the war's profound economic implications.
See More
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- Economic Forecast Downgrade: The OECD has raised the UK's inflation forecast for 2023 to 4%, an increase of 1.5 percentage points from previous estimates, indicating significant impacts from global economic turmoil that may lead to decreased consumer spending.
- Dismal Growth Outlook: The OECD has also lowered the UK's growth forecast for 2026 to 0.5%, down 0.5 percentage points from earlier predictions, reflecting severe challenges to economic recovery due to rising international oil and gas prices.
- Energy Price Shock: The ongoing conflict in Iran has disrupted energy supplies, leading to heightened energy price pressures in the UK, with the OECD noting that this will raise costs and exacerbate inflationary pressures, particularly given the UK's heavy reliance on energy imports.
- Monetary Policy Challenges: With inflation on the rise, the Bank of England's anticipated interest rate cuts are now in jeopardy, and economists warn that if the conflict persists, rate hikes may be necessary to combat escalating price pressures.
See More
