War, tariffs and China: What the US midterms mean for the Asia-Pacific

Asia-Pacific governments and businesses are watching the US midterm elections as the US-Israeli war on Iran drives an energy shock across the region. Before the conflict began in January, the region received much of the Gulf oil and gas shipped through the Strait of Hormuz; Iran’s closure of the chokepoint led to shortages. Regional observers hope for changes to Donald Trump’s policies on the war and trade, but analysts consider major shifts unlikely even if Democrats win the House and possibly the Senate. The Philippines, which gets more than 90 percent of its crude oil imports from the Gulf, is among the countries especially exposed.