Oil prices inched up in early Asian trading hours on Friday, holding on to their strong weekly gains, as investors weighed the Middle East conflict and the potential disruption in crude flows against an amply-supplied global market.
Oil edged higher in early Asian trade on supply disruption worries.
Asia-Pacific markets are set to open lower on Friday. They will track losses on Wall Street, with concerns over Middle East tensions keeping investors on edge.
Carmiel Arbit, Atlantic Council Middle East Programs Senior Fellow, talks about President Biden saying an Israeli strike on Iran oil sites is under discussion and whether or not this is a possibility. She also talks about Israel's possible retaliation attack on Iran, and if the US Presidential election will impact the relationship between the US and Israel.
The S&P 500 closed just below 5,700, dropping nearly ten points or 0.2% from the previous day. Meanwhile, the Nasdaq Composite remained relatively flat, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell by 0.4%, and the Russell 2000 declined by 0.7%.
Political tensions and potential war in the Middle East have made the price of oil rip higher. This means there are opportunities to profit by investing or trading in the companies in the energy sector.
What worries oil traders the most as tensions build in the wake of Iran's missile attack on Israel is a potential disruption to the flow of crude in the Middle East — and when it comes to Iran, export terminal Kharg Island could be a key target for the Israel Defense Forces.
Oil surged with the market bracing for the possibility that Israel will include strikes on Iran's oil industry in retaliation for its recent missile barrage. President Joe Biden responded, “We're discussing that,” when asked if he would support Israel striking Iran's oil facilities.
A calm 2024 for petroleum prices has given way to bets that a spike in energy prices could follow.
The U.S. stock market is caught in a dual headwind of rising Middle East tensions and a historic port workers' strike.
The recent increase in crude prices and energy stocks is all about Israel and Iran. But oil is still well below highs for the year.
OPEC oil output fell in September to its lowest this year, a Reuters survey found on Thursday, as unrest disrupted Libyan supply and Iraq made progress in complying with its cutbacks pledged to the wider OPEC+ alliance.