Markets

Recent attacks and counterattacks between Israel and Iran have raised critical questions about the future of regional stability and its impact on global oil markets.

Iran's attack on Israel on April 13 had been largely priced in and caused little damage, allowing futures prices for benchmark crudes to retreat.

Recent developments in the oil market have shown a marked increase in speculative trading, fueled by escalating geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.

Amid the escalating geopolitical conflict following Iran's April 13 attack on Israel, the United States is at a crossroads with potential strategies to adjust its sanctions on Iranian oil.

In response to escalating tensions in the Middle East, Asian refiners are strategically reassessing their crude supply sources, signaling a potential pivot towards increased imports from the Americas and Africa.

In recent months, China and India have significantly adjusted their oil import strategies, particularly focusing on increased purchases from Russia.

Early in the week, renewed hopes for a ceasefire in the Israel-Gaza war pushed futures prices for NYMEX WTI, ICE Brent, and DME Oman lower but a deadly mid-week airstrike on Gaza resulted in expectations that Iran would attack Israel.

The state energy company, Pemex, is poised to enact substantial cuts in crude exports, redirecting at least 330K b/d from international markets to meet domestic refining demands.

India and China are intensifying their efforts in upstream activities to bolster energy security amidst evolving global dynamics, yet their trajectories appear divergent.

The US Energy Information Administration, the International Energy Agency, and OPEC provide insights into global oil demand trends.