Australian shares move down as oil prices start the week higher amid escalating conflict in the Persian Gulf. Multiple outlets report that tensions lift crude prices, reflecting market concerns about potential disruption to global shipping routes in the region. The reports cite Iran’s claim that it has again closed the Strait of Hormuz to traffic. Both sources link the higher oil price movement to this development and the broader escalation of the Gulf situation. While the articles focus on financial market reaction—Australian equities “wobble” and oil rises at the open—they do not provide additional confirmed details about the operational status of the strait beyond Iran’s statement. Overall, the coverage points to heightened geopolitical risk driving commodity pricing, with investor sentiment affecting Australian share prices.