
Audio By Carbonatix
Oil prices rose on Monday following days of tit-for-tat strikes by the U.S. and Iran that underscored the fragility of their interim peace deal and again slowed energy shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
Brent crude futures climbed 58 cents, or 0.8%, to $72.57 a barrel at 0207 GMT while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude was at $70.11 a barrel, up 88 cents, or 1.3%.
"There's still plenty of risk facing the oil market. Even so, participants appear to be ... focusing on what a continued recovery in oil flows would mean for the global balance," ING analysts said in a note on Monday.
"This complacency is odd and clearly leaves significant upside risk if the supply recovery proves slow."
Brent crude fell 10.6% last week, its third weekly decline, after crude shipments through the strait rose last week to their highest level since the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran began in late February.
However, traffic has since slowed following renewed attacks on ships in the strait from Thursday, including a Qatar-linked oil tanker, that triggered strikes from the U.S. and Iran in the worst escalation since they signed an interim peace deal.
Capping oil price gains, Iran and the U.S. agreed to halt recent hostilities in the Gulf and renew talks regarding their dispute over the Strait of Hormuz, a U.S. official said on Sunday.
"The market is likely to re-evaluate its assumption of a quick recovery of oil supply from the Persian Gulf," ANZ analysts said in a note.
Saudi oil giant Aramco (2222.SE), opens new tab resumed crude oil loadings on Friday at its Ras Tanura terminal, west of the Strait of Hormuz, after they were halted for nearly four months, as oil producers ramped up output and exports ahead of an interim deal.
Loadings continued even after a helicopter belonging to the company crashed on Sunday at Ras Tanura, killing 14 nationals. The cause of the crash was unknown.
"Physical flows are constrained by tanker backlogs, damaged infrastructure and production shut-ins. It could take the remainder of the year before supply is near pre-conflict levels," ANZ analysts said.
Latest Stories
-
Groupe Nduom eyes Standard Chartered retail business, calls for local ownership
5 minutes -
Deposits safe, banking services uninterrupted – Standard Chartered reassures customers
27 minutes -
Gov’t to recruit 550 Arabic teachers to tackle staffing gap in Islamic schools
34 minutes -
Gov’t prepares to evacuate nearly 900 nationals from South Africa ahead of anti-immigration protests
38 minutes -
Sales assistant fined GH¢12,000 after stealing GH¢353,471 from employer in marriage scam
42 minutes -
GCAA probes alleged mistreatment of KLM passengers after Amsterdam delay
50 minutes -
NRSA Director-General outlines reforms to reduce road carnage
54 minutes -
Kumasi tomato traders push for revival of local tomato industry
55 minutes -
Peace Council establishes peace committee, monitors to strengthen peace efforts
57 minutes -
My agenda is to reunite, restructure, restrengthen NPP – Paul Afoko
58 minutes -
GJA condemns Kasoa Radio attack, demands transparent probe, protection for journalists
1 hour -
Akan NPP vets 20 aspirants for constituency executive elections
1 hour -
Biakoye NPP constituency election heats up as 28 aspirants file nominations for executive positions
1 hour -
Former GRIDCo CEO urges stronger workplace safety laws
1 hour -
DR Congo superfan denied US visa to support team at World Cup
1 hour