Markets in the Middle East will be affected first and worst

The war against Iran is causing an air and shipping jam, but it will likely have little effect on the global technology market unless the conflict widens significantly, according to analysts.

“UAE is a major distribution hub for many products, including tech, in the region and since both airspace and likely port traffic are closed [or] limited, the local markets may face issues,” Jitesh Ubrani, research manager with IDC, told The Register. “But globally these represent a small portion of the market.”

Bombing raids by the US and Israel and Iran's retaliatory strikes have shut down critical logistics hubs for sea cargo and air traffic throughout the Middle East. US President Trump has said the dispute could last four to five weeks.

The ongoing attacks and counterattacks have left more than 500 people, including six US servicemembers, dead. As the grim ledger for the conflict builds, global shippers are ...