NEW YORK (AP) — As the U.S. and Israel relentlessly bombed Iran in the opening days of war, the most dramatic predictions of the conflict’s toll were unsparing: surging oil prices, worldwide recession and economic catastrophe. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Associated Press.
But six months into the conflict, the direst predictions haven’t come true even if no corner of the world’s economy has been spared. The war has had an uneven impact on different parts of the world: investors are prospering while ordinary consumers and people in developing countries bear a heavy burden.
Options trader Marty Handler works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange on Thursday, Aug. 27, 2026, in New York. At this time, U.S. markets have reached record levels despite the war. Investors have benefited from military spending and growth in the defense sector.
A child is weighed at Feynuus Nutrition Centre on the outskirts of the capital, Mogadishu, Somalia, Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2026. In this region, rising food prices and disrupted supply chains have heightened the threat of famine. The war has hit vulnerable regions such as the Horn of Africa particularly hard.
Travelers check in at Terminal 3 of Dubai International Airport in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2026. Despite political instability in the Persian Gulf region, Dubai airport continues to operate, but airfares have risen.
Dark oil residue collects in shallow coastal waters on Qeshm Island, Iran, Thursday, Aug. 13, 2026, amid ongoing wartime attacks on vessels and infrastructure in and around the Strait of Hormuz, though the spill’s source has not been independently determined.
People spend time at a beach as commercial vessels are anchored in the Strait of Hormuz off Bandar Abbas, Iran, Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2026. This shows that normal life in the region continues.
The Associated Press published this story on Aug. 30, 2026. The article highlights the uneven economic impact of the war: stock markets in developed countries are rising, while developing countries suffer from rising food and energy prices.