US physical crude prices are easing as the wartime risk premium fades and Middle Eastern barrels prepare to return to global markets. The shift comes amid clear signs of de-escalation in the US-Iran conflict, including the passage of Iranian tankers past the US naval blockade today and the resumption of flows through the Strait of […]
Continue Reading
Wall Street banks are rapidly revising downward their oil price forecasts following the U.S.-Iran interim agreement to end hostilities, reopen the Strait of Hormuz, and ease restrictions on Iranian oil exports. The news has already triggered a sharp sell-off in crude prices, with Brent crude falling to around $80–81 per barrel as of June 16, […]
Continue Reading
Oil markets are experiencing sharp volatility as traders price in hopes of de-escalation between the United States and Iran. July WTI crude futures plunged $4.32 (4.79%) to settle near $85.93 on June 11, 2026, after trading as high as $95.47 earlier in the week. As of June 12, WTI futures hovered around $84.80–$86, down over […]
Continue Reading
The global oil market remains on edge as the Strait of Hormuz — the world’s most critical oil chokepoint — stays effectively paralyzed amid the ongoing U.S.-Iran conflict that began in late February 2026. JP Morgan has issued a fresh, more urgent update, warning that the situation could drive Brent crude sharply higher in the […]
Continue Reading
The paradox gripping global energy markets in mid-June 2026 is stark. Brent crude futures — the benchmark “paper” oil traded on exchanges — have hovered around $90–$98 per barrel despite more than 100 days of war involving Iran that has severely disrupted flows through the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint for roughly 20% of the […]
Continue Reading
The Strait of Hormuz — the narrow waterway through which roughly one-fifth of global oil and significant LNG volumes flow — has remained effectively closed since early March 2026 following the escalation of the U.S.-Israel-Iran conflict. Iran has suspended talks and signaled the blockade could become permanent absent major concessions. In a wide-ranging interview with […]
Continue Reading
The global energy markets are in the midst of a historic shock. As the 2026 Strait of Hormuz crisis—triggered by the U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran—enters its fourth month, roughly 20% of the world’s seaborne oil and 20% of LNG flows have been disrupted. Prices spiked above $100 per barrel (peaking near $126), with Brent briefly […]
Continue Reading
The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) released its latest Weekly Petroleum Status Report on June 3, 2026, covering data for the week ending May 29, 2026. The report reveals a significant tightening in U.S. petroleum inventories, with a massive combined draw in commercial crude oil and Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) stocks. Analyst Ole S. Hansen […]
Continue Reading
Even the most optimistic reopening of the Strait of Hormuz won’t deliver a quick fix. Physical barrels tell a far harsher story than paper futures. Art Berman (@aeberman12) nailed it in his May 25, 2026, post: There is no clean, modelable “successful reopening” of the Strait of Hormuz. Even in the wildly optimistic scenario, the […]
Continue Reading
Vietnam’s largest refinery, the Nghi Son Refinery and Petrochemical LLC (NSRP), has confirmed it will maintain stable operations through the end of June 2026. According to a company statement reported by Bloomberg, the facility is actively diversifying its crude oil supply by strengthening cooperation with both domestic and international suppliers across multiple regions. The 200,000 […]
Continue Reading