The Scoop: If you’ve noticed your wallet feeling a lot lighter lately, you can thank the prolonged conflict in the Middle East. The global economic buffer has officially worn thin, and consumers are paying the price. The Details: Decades of intense geopolitical and religious tension have erupted into prolonged military operations around critical trade routes like the Strait of Hormuz. Because of the constant danger, oil prices have quietly shot up by roughly 30%. The Global I