American households pay nearly $450 more on energy amid Iran war, data shows

According to data compiled by CNBC, the average US household has faced an annualised increase of roughly $450 in energy spending since the Iran war began in late March. The rise in gasoline prices has added 60-70 dollars per month to budgets in transport-heavy states, while electricity tariffs reflecting higher natural gas prices have inflated bills further. Energy Information Administration data show the summer average gasoline price running about 18 percent above the year-earlier level.

The impact varies markedly by income bracket. Analyses indicate that low and middle-income households spend 8 to 10 percent of income on energy, meaning the extra $450 is felt through trade-offs in dining out, home maintenance and health spending. Energy-price-to-consumer-price pass-through models from Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan estimate that the Iran war shock has added 0.4 to 0.6 percentage points to annual inflation.

The outcome of the Trump-Iran talks will be decisive for the near-term path of Brent crude and natural gas. A deal would likely normalise shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and unwind the risk premium. Failing that, the burden on US household energy budgets could grow further in the months ahead. This article is not investment or personal-finance advice.