Oil prices fell over 3% to a one-week low today as traders shrugged off the latest US sanctions campaign against Iran, viewing economic pressure as posing less risk to oil supplies than a military escalation.
Brent crude futures were down $3.07, or 3.33%, to $89.10 a barrel this afternoon, while US West Texas Intermediate crude was down $2.93, or 3.45%, at $82.08.
Both benchmarks hit their lowest levels since August 17.
The shift from military conflict to economic pressure in the US-Israeli war with Iran has reduced some of the oil market’s anxiety, said Saxo Bank head of commodity strategy Ole Hansen, adding the US sanctions announcement was not as forceful as some traders had expected.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent unveiled the measures yesterday, almost six months into a conflict the US has struggled to resolve. But he declined to identify the countries that would be targeted or say when penalties would take effect, adding he would give them time to comply with the new directives.
Iran vowed to retaliate against the sanctions and expressed confidence that major trading partners would resist Washington’s pressure campaign.
While US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said yesterday the US would not rule out using military force against Iran, analysts said the shift to economic coercion had reduced some concerns about further threats to Middle Eastern oil supply, even though the key Strait of Hormuz remains largely closed.
“Iran still retains the ability to respond by disrupting shipping, which continues to keep a residual premium in the oil price,” said Tim Waterer, chief market analyst at KCM.
An oil tanker was struck today by an unidentified projectile and disabled about nine nautical miles (16.7 km) northeast of Oman’s Ash Shishah, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations said.
Just two tankers transited the Strait of Hormuz yesterday, the lowest daily tally of commodity vessels since early May, with both entering the Gulf, shipping data showed.
The conflict has heightened concerns over the Strait of Hormuz, the waterway through which roughly one-fifth of global oil consumption used to typically pass before the US-Israeli war with Iran began on February 28, raising fears of broader supply disruptions.
The supply disruptions have prompted countries to draw down commercial and strategic oil reserves.
Elsewhere, the Novoshakhtinsk oil refinery in Russia’s southern Rostov region was damaged by a Ukrainian drone overnight and suspended operations, the regional governor said, while a fire broke out at the Atyrau oil refinery in western Kazakhstan, owner KazMunayGas said.
