Oil prices flew by more than 4% at the beginning of Asian exchanges, on Monday, June 23, before limiting their increase, after US attacks in Iran and Tehran reprisals threats, which makes it fear disturbances of the black gold offer.
Around 11:45 pm GMT, the US WTI barrel increased 2.56% to $ 75.73 after rising to $ 78, while the Brent of the Brent of the North Sea earned $ 2.47% to $ 78.91, after jumping to more than $ 81. This places them in both cases in the highest since January.
The fear of closing the Ormuz Strait
Tehran clearly threatened the United States with reprisals on Sunday, with the risk of climbing in the Middle East, after unprecedented American strikes that, according to Washington, destroyed the Iranian nuclear program.
The weekend developments have revived the fear of the worst possible scenario for the oil market: the closure of the Ormuz Strait, off the Iranian coast, through which almost 20% of the worldwide oil traffic, one third of the oil traffic in the world.
After a temporary rhythm in oil prices after the first Israeli attacks on June 13, the market had largely tempered last week, being expected, the conflict that has not previously affected the Iranian oil infrastructure and in absence, until this weekend, of the United States.
However, according to the scope of Iranian reprisals and tensions escalation, black gold exports from the Middle East could be affected.
Iran, ninth world oil producer
With a production of around 3.3 million barrels per day, Iran is the ninth producer in the world, according to specialists. It exports a little less than half (1.5 million) and maintains the rest for him.
But it is above all a limitation or a maritime traffic stop in the Ormuz Strait that alarms the market actors.
JPMorgan experts warned in mid -June that a “worst scenario” in the Middle East could boost the price of a barrel to $ 130.
Source: BFM TV
