Oil prices rose in Thursday trading amid investor concerns over escalating tensions between the United States and Iran and potential disruptions to crude supplies from the Gulf region.
اضافة اعلان
As of 09:15 Moscow time, U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures for March traded at $64.86 per barrel, up 0.36% from the previous settlement.
Meanwhile, Brent crude futures for April traded at $69.58 per barrel, an increase of 0.26% from the previous close.
Both benchmarks rose in the previous session, with Brent up 0.87% and WTI up 1.05%, as investor fears over U.S.-Iran tensions outweighed the impact of rising U.S. crude inventories.
U.S. President Donald Trump, following talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday, said no “specific” decision had been made regarding Iran, but emphasized that negotiations with Tehran would continue.
The day before, Trump mentioned he was considering sending a second aircraft carrier to the Middle East if a deal with Iran is not reached, while Washington and Tehran prepare to resume talks.
U.S. and Iranian diplomats held indirect discussions last week in Amman. The timing and location of the next round of talks have not yet been announced.
Tony Sycamore, an analyst at IG, noted that further escalation in the Middle East would be needed for oil prices to exceed $65–66 per barrel, while a de-escalation would likely prompt profit-taking, keeping U.S. crude in the $60–61 range.
— (Agencies)
