Dow CEO: “The die is cast” from Iran war for high petrochemical prices through the end of 2026

Jim Fitterling, chief executive officer of Dow Inc., at the CERAWeek by S&P Global conference in Houston, Texas, US, on Thursday, March 26, 2026. The event convenes more than 10,000 participants from over 2,350 companies across 89 countries for dialogue on the agenda ahead as the world enters a new era of energy transition. Photographer: F. Carter Smith/Bloomberg via Getty Images (Credit: F. Carter Smith—Bloomberg/Getty Images)

Petrochemical price spikes and shortages from the Iran war likely will cause inflationary effects at least through the end of the year on construction materials, consumer goods, the automative and aerospace industries, and much more, the CEO of chemical manufacturing giantDow said.

While much of the global supply-shock focus is on oil, natural gas, fertilizers, and even helium for semiconductors, almost 20% of global petrochemical capacity is blocked from the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz chokepoint by Iran, said Dow chair and CEO Jim Fitterling.