EIA Sees Massive Build in US Crude Inventories

The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported a surprise and historically large build in commercial crude oil inventories for the week ending August 7, 2026. Commercial stocks (excluding the Strategic Petroleum Reserve) rose by 17.4 million barrels to 424.4 million barrels—the largest weekly increase since January 2023 and well above analyst expectations of a draw […]

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Oil Supply Crunch Worsens Despite War’s Demand Hit, Says IEA

The International Energy Agency’s latest Oil Market Report underscores a deepening imbalance in global oil markets. Despite a sharper-than-expected contraction in demand driven by elevated prices from the ongoing Iran conflict and related disruptions, supply shortfalls have widened even more, producing the tightest near-term balances in years. At the time this article is written, Brent […]

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Can Brent Hit $100 as Hormuz, Saudi Arabia, Russia, and Ukraine All Come Under Fire?

Geopolitical risks are colliding across multiple theaters in early August 2026, creating a perfect storm for energy markets. The Strait of Hormuz is flaring again, with Iranian loadings collapsing toward zero. Saudi Arabia’s Jazan refinery has been hit by Houthi drones for the second time in weeks. Ukraine continues deep strikes on Russian refining infrastructure, […]

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The Hormuz Crisis Has Permanently Changed the Economics and Importance of Energy Security

The 2026 Strait of Hormuz crisis—sparked by U.S.-Israeli operations against Iran beginning in late February and marked by Iranian attacks on shipping, assertions of control, U.S. naval responses and blockades, and sharply reduced tanker traffic—has delivered the largest oil supply disruption on record. At its peak, the effective closure or severe constriction of the waterway, […]

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