Alan Kohler

And just to briefly discuss the budget, I mean, Treasury won't have any idea what to put into the budget if the Strait of Hormuz is still closed.

I mean, they'll have to have another mini-budget when it's open and everyone knows what's going on.

So the war in Iran has coincided with a big surge in the use of AI by companies and by individuals.

And so what's happening is that analysts are upgrading their earnings forecasts for all the AI companies as well as other companies because they'll be using the AI to increase their productivity and increase profits.

So there's a massive amount of earnings optimism going on.

both for AI companies and all companies, really, that is, at the moment, overwhelming the negativity about the war in Iran, which, you know, obviously... That's right.

Yeah, that's right.

No, we don't.

Well, we don't.

I mean, I just think it's obviously clearly a fog at the moment.

Nobody knows what's going on.

Nobody knows what's going to happen with AI either for that matter.

But still, the future of what's going on in the state.

I mean, look, I think we clearly, you're right, the US is looking for an off ramp.

They're trying to get out and they probably will.

And the main permanent change that will occur as a result of Israel and America's attack on Iran on February the 28th will be

that Iran will directly and completely control the Strait of Hormuz for the first time.

I mean, basically, it's always been a part of the UN, you know, free passage rules about maritime ship movements, and that's what has been the case.

And now...

What's happened is the Iran Revolutionary Guard Corps will control the Strait of Hormuz.