“Oil prices eased after last week’s 6% gain but remained near two-week highs as geopolitical tensions between the West and major oil producers Russia and Iran rose, adding to risks.”, — write: www.epravda.com.ua
Oil prices eased after last week’s 6% gain but remained near two-week highs as geopolitical tensions between the West and major oil producers Russia and Iran rose, adding to risks.
About this informs Reuters.
Brent crude futures were down 26 cents, or 0.35%, at $74.91 a barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures settled at $70.97 a barrel. which is 27 cents, or 0.38%, lower.
Last week, both contracts posted their biggest weekly gain since late September and their highest settlement since Nov. 7, after Russia fired a hypersonic missile over Ukraine as a warning to the United States and Britain following strikes by Kiev on Russia using their weapons.
As both Ukraine and Russia try to gain some leverage ahead of any future negotiations under the Trump administration, tensions are likely to persist through the end of the year, keeping Brent crude prices in the $70-$80 range.
In addition, Iran responded to a resolution passed Thursday by the UN nuclear watchdog by ordering measures such as the activation of various new and improved centrifuges used to enrich uranium.
Increased sanctions could reduce Iran’s oil exports by 1 million barrels per day, or about 1% of global oil supplies.
We will remind:
Oil prices continued gains on Friday, heading for a weekly gain of more than 4%, as the war in Ukraine intensified and Vladimir Putin warned of a global conflict.