The Financial Post reports in its Friday, March 6, edition that oil prices rose as the conflict in the Middle East disrupted crude supplies, with China prioritizing domestic fuel needs. A Bloomberg dispatch to the Post reports that Brent crude approached $83 (U.S.) a barrel. China has instructed major refiners to halt diesel and gasoline exports, while Japanese refineries requested the release of oil from strategic reserves. An Indian processor also announced it would suspend product exports. The market's principal concern remains the Strait of Hormuz, which remains effectively blocked, bottling up crude supplies from Iran, as well as other Persian Gulf producers, and forcing some to start shutting-in output. The war, now in its sixth day, is shaking global energy markets. With the conflict spreading across the Middle East, prices for oil, gas and freight are rising, causing significant disruption for producers and importing nations reliant on the region. Phillip Nova analyst Priyanka Sachdeva says, "If we see even one more successful strike on an oil tanker or infrastructure, or sustained disruption, prices can spike sharply again." Ship-tracking data show traffic through the strait has plummeted by well over 95 per cent.