The Brent crude oil price has soared 12.3% in just a week, and is US$108.17 per barrel on Friday.

ASX 200 energy shares are up 2.7% this week, and sector leader Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS) has gained 3.36%.

The Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) share price has risen 5.05% and Karoon Energy Ltd (ASX: KAR) shares are up 6.32%.

The surging Brent crude oil price follows news that Iran-backed Houthi rebels have seized a key port town in Yemen.

The town, Mocha, lies alongside the Red Sea, which opens into international waters via the narrow Strait of Bab al-Mandeb.

Why does this matter?

The Red Sea has provided an alternative route for oil supply from Saudi Arabia to global markets during the US-Iran conflict.

The US-Iran war has led to the virtual closure of the Strait of Hormuz, the main shipping lane for Middle East oil.

About 20% of the world’s oil and gas supply is shipped from Persian Gulf nations through the Strait of Hormuz to global buyers.

Saudi Arabia is the world’s largest oil exporter and a US ally.

On its east side is the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz. On its west side is the Red Sea and Strait of Bab al-Mandeb.

The Saudis have been piping oil across their territory to the west coast for shipping via the Red Sea.

This alternative oil export route has offset the impact of the prolonged Strait of Hormuz shut down on western nations.

The oil flow contributed to the Brent Crude oil price returning to pre-war levels in June amid hopes of a US-Iran deal.

The Strait of Bab al-Mandeb sits at the southern end of the Red Sea and runs alongside Yemen.

The Houthis want to block passage to give Iran further leverage in its conflict with the US.

Saudi Arabia has been attacked by Iran several times as retribution for US attacks on Iran.

What’s happened this week?

Mocha is the second Red Sea coastal city now controlled by Houthis in defiance of the internationally-backed Yemeni government.

There are concerns they will now move further south and seek to take Dhubab and Perim, which sit alongside Bab al-Mandeb.

Trading Economics analysts said the 12% rise in the Brent Crude oil price was the biggest weekly increase since mid-July.

And with no end to the US-Iran conflict in sight, the oil price may remain elevated for some time.

The analysts commented on Friday:

Top US officials reportedly warned President Donald Trump that the war could continue through the remainder of his term, which ends in January 2029.

Meanwhile, Iranian leaders are reportedly determined to continue fighting despite mounting economic costs, viewing the conflict as an existential threat.

They also claim that Tehran has managed to rebuild its missile capabilities and could intensify attacks on US and Gulf assets if Washington escalates its own strikes.

Fighting has intensified over the past two weeks, with the US targeting Iranian oil tankers while Iran launched missiles at US warships and tankers in the Persian Gulf, as well as American assets in neighboring countries.

The US-Iran conflict has added to inflation in many nations, including Australia, through higher petrol, diesel, gas, and electricity prices.

This week’s dramatic increase in the Brent Crude oil price has raised fears of further interest rate rises in Australia.

This is one of the reasons why the ASX 200 has had such a bad week, falling 3.05% in just five days.

The post Brent crude oil price jumps 12% amid Houthi bid to control alternative oil route appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Bronwyn Allen has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Stockland Corporation Ltd (ASX: SGP) shareholders haven’t had much to smile about lately.

The property giant has fallen around 29% in 2026, and Friday is adding a bit more pain, with the shares down 3.91% to $4.055.

In addition, CEO Tarun Gupta has sold a number of Stockland securities on market this week.

The transaction is worth around $3.8 million, which is enough to catch the eye given how far the shares have already fallen.

But before investors read too much into it, I think there are a couple of things worth knowing.

Why did the CEO sell?

According to recent filing, Gupta sold a total of 874,721 securities on 7 September at an average price of $4.319.

Stockland said the sale was made to meet tax liabilities, which makes the move a little less concerning in my view.

Gupta also still has plenty of exposure to the company. He personally holds 85,493 Stockland securities, while the Sundara Family Trust owns another 1.86 million. He also has around 1.52 million performance rights.

But what caught my attention even more is what some of the other directors have been doing.

Bob Johnston bought 90,000 securities at $4.57 on 31 August, while Kate McKenzie, Christopher Lawton, and Penny Winn have also made smaller on-market purchases since late August.

What about the business?

Stockland’s FY26 numbers were actually pretty solid.

Funds from operations increased 10.4% to $892 million, while statutory profit rose 20.2% to $994 million.

FFO per security reached 36.9 cents, while net tangible assets increased to $4.39 per security.

At $4.055, Stockland shares are now trading below that NTA figure. They have also given back all of the 12% jump that followed last month’s full-year result.

The company also finished FY26 with gearing of 22.7%, while strong residential settlement volumes helped lift development earnings.

Of course, the market is forward-looking, and higher bond yields and interest rate concerns remain a headache for property stocks.

Would I be worried?

Not really.

I mean a $3.8 million CEO sale is always going to attract attention, especially when the share price is already falling.

But the stated reason was tax liabilities, and Gupta still has significant exposure to the company.

Furthermore, a few of the other directors have also been buying.

Overall, brokers remain positive. TipRanks shows 6 buy ratings and 1 hold, with an average price target of $5.30.

That implies around 31% upside from today’s price.

The post Stockland shares are sinking 4%. Is this $3.8 million CEO sale a warning sign? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• Stockland profit up 20% as development surges: FY26 results and outlook

Motley Fool contributor Aaron Teboneras has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

DroneShield Ltd (ASX: DRO) shares have given investors a pretty wild ride over the past year.

The stock is down another 2.94% to $1.65 on Friday, leaving it close to its 52-week low.

But after such a big fall, I think this is starting to look like one of the more interesting ASX turnaround stories to watch.

Here’s why.

Short sellers have piled in

The latest short-selling data showed 15.38% of DroneShield shares were sold short, making it the second most shorted stock on the ASX.

That’s a huge bet against the company.

Yes, short sellers clearly have plenty to point to.

DroneShield reported a $12.4 million underlying EBITDA loss in the first-half, while its statutory loss came in at $32.2 million.

The shares also look expensive on traditional earnings measures, with profits still small compared with the company’s $1.5 billion valuation.

But this is where I think things get interesting.

If DroneShield keeps delivering stronger revenue and winning new orders, some short sellers may start heading for the exits.

That could add another source of buying demand if sentiment starts turning.

Sales are still moving fast

The share price might look ugly, but the sales numbers tell a very different story.

First-half revenue jumped 74% to $125.8 million, while committed FY26 revenue recently increased to $251 million from $240 million.

That already puts DroneShield inside management’s full-year revenue outlook of $250 million to $270 million.

There is also another $46 million of committed revenue sitting in FY27 and beyond.

And I think the new product pipeline is worth watching too.

DroneShield’s first RfRecon order will be deployed to an existing Western European military customer before the end of the year.

I like seeing new products move from launch to customer orders this quickly because it gives the company another way to keep growing.

The balance sheet gives me another reason to stay positive, with around $180 million in cash at the end of June and no debt.

Could DroneShield shares really double?

I think they can.

A move from $1.65 to $3.30 would mean a 100% gain, which sounds huge at first glance.

But even at that price, DroneShield shares would still be more than 50% below their 52-week high.

The big thing I want to see now is more of that revenue growth flowing through to profits.

If that starts happening over the next few reporting periods, I think investors could become much more bullish on the stock.

The post DroneShield shares are down 75%. Could this huge short bet backfire? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Aaron Teboneras has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended DroneShield. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.