Good morning. President Trump said that Iran would allow 20 more oil ships to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. He called the decision a “tribute” to the United States and a sign that negotiations were underway to end the war. Still, American troops continue to deploy to the Middle East. There are now more than 50,000 in the region. There’s more news below. But first, you had some questions.
Your questionsThere is a lot going on in the world right now, much of it confusing, some of it contradictory, all of it important. War rages, economies rattle, trends emerge. Why? And what’s with all the self-checkout lines at Target and CVS? We brought your questions to expert Times reporters. War and conflictIf so little of our oil in America comes from the Middle East, why does this war have such a strong influence over gas prices and the stock market? | Leesa Arnold | McKinney, Texas Rebecca F. Elliott, who covers energy, writes: The oil market is international, meaning that when supply is lost in one part of the world, prices generally rise elsewhere because that fuel is in higher demand. That, in turn, lifts prices at the pump, even in the United States, where oil is plentiful. Energy is also a foundation for the rest of the economy; its value affects the stock market, too. Oil prices affect everything from farming to shipping to the cost of driving to see your grandmother, leaving less money for everything else. How likely is it that Iran will retaliate for the war with an attack on American soil? As someone who remembers 9/11 vividly and now lives 40 miles from New York City, that’s my main concern for my family. | Elizabeth Pontillo | Kings Park, New York Julian Barnes, who covers intelligence, writes: I was in New York for Sept. 11, and I biked over the Brooklyn Bridge to interview people coming out of the twin towers and escaping Lower Manhattan. Like you, the day is seared in my memory. Iran has shown it has the will, and occasionally the means, to attack overseas. But unlike a quarter-century ago, America’s guard is up. Intelligence agencies are focused on the possibility of retaliation by Iran, officials tell me. An attack on American soil of the scale of Sept. 11 is unlikely. But smaller acts of sabotage, akin to what Russia has conducted in Europe, are possible. Iran could target specific individuals. In 1980, Iranian agents killed an outspoken critic of the theocratic government at his home in Maryland. In 2011, the U.S. government charged two Iranian agents with plotting to kill the Saudi ambassador in Washington. And, of course, more recently Iran has plotted to kill President Trump. These less ambitious acts of terror and retaliation could be harder, but not impossible, to stop. My 401(k) has suffered since the war with Iran started. What generally happens to investments during a time of war? | Lori Lewis | Chicago, Illinois
Jeff Sommer, who covers financial markets, writes: Most wars in recent decades have depressed stock prices initially but have had relatively minor effects on investment returns a year later. That’s a reason for sticking with your portfolio — assuming it’s broadly diversified, and not reliant on a few individual stocks — and avoiding abrupt action. That said, energy shocks are tricky. If energy prices rise further and remain elevated, there is a potential for higher inflation and even a recession. I’m anxious about upcoming food shortages across the world due to the war. Am I being a doomsayer or are these fears founded? | Perry Albert | Millis, Massachusetts Ana Swanson, who covers trade, writes: Your anxiety is understandable! This is not an issue that many people in rich countries will feel immediately, but the war and climate change are stressing food supplies in ways that threaten poor subsistence farmers (urgently) and the global food supply (in the long run). The war stopped fertilizer shipments from the Middle East to major food producers like India, Thailand and Brazil. In the United States, the most noticeable impact will probably be a slight increase in grocery bills — still very difficult to deal with for families that are already struggling. Health, politics, business
I’d like to understand whether progress is being made toward treating addiction with GLP-1 medications. | John Williams | Cleveland, Tennessee Dani Blum, who covers these drugs, writes: Researchers are studying that question. One theory is that these drugs weaken reward pathways in the brain, and so just as they silence the impulse to eat, they may also reduce the urge to drink. The first randomized controlled trial on semaglutide, the substance in Ozempic, and alcohol consumption found that the drug curbed cravings. But we’re still a long way away from conclusive evidence showing these medications can treat addiction. What drives retailers like Target or CVS to favor self-checkout over staffed lanes (which are often not even staffed), given that it seems to worsen the customer experience? I now shop almost exclusively on Amazon to avoid this problem. | David Burnette | Swarthmore, Pennsylvania Kim Bhasin, who covers retail, writes: These companies would answer by saying that they offer all sorts of checkout options — cashier service, self-checkout and in-person pickup for online orders. That way shoppers can pick the experience they prefer; not everyone wants to scan and bag their own stuff. But it’s also true that self-checkout saves retailers space in stores, speed at checkout and money on labor (since one employee can oversee several stations). Historically, how have presidents benefited financially from business ties while in office? The Trumps seem to be making money hand over fist. Is this fairly new? Are there no laws against it? | Mary Liz Olazabal | Miami, Florida Eric Lipton, an investigative reporter based in Washington, writes: The president is exempt from the federal criminal conflict-of-interest statute. Yet for decades, presidents have realized that it would look bad if they personally profited, so they have taken steps like selling assets; George W. Bush, for instance, unloaded his stake in the Texas Rangers baseball team. President Trump asserts there is no conflict, as he put his holdings into trusts run by his sons. But no other president in modern times has seen his personal wealth surge as a result of policy choices he made, such as moves to pull back oversight of the cryptocurrency industry. In short, Trump’s profiting in office, while not clearly illegal, is unprecedented.
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