PANews reported on May 9th that global oil inventories are being depleted at a record rate as the war with Iran disrupts oil shipments in the Persian Gulf, eroding the buffers originally intended to protect against supply shocks. The rapid shrinking of inventories means the risk of more extreme price spikes and supply shortages is looming. With the Strait of Hormuz nearing closure for two months, governments and industries have fewer options to cope with a supply loss of over 1 billion barrels. The sharp depletion of inventories also means that even after the conflict ends, the market will remain vulnerable to future supply disruptions for a longer period. Morgan Stanley estimates that global oil inventories fell by an average of about 4.8 million barrels per day between March 1st and April 25th, far exceeding previous peaks in quarterly inventory declines compiled by the International Energy Agency. Crude oil accounted for nearly 60% of the decline, with the remainder being refined products. Crucially, the oil system also needs to set a minimum inventory level. Natasha Kaneva, global head of commodities research at JPMorgan Chase, stated that this means that the untouchable safety stock will be reached before inventories truly bottom out.