Iran and Oman say they hold sovereignty over Strait of Hormuz
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi has stated in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, that Tehran has concluded a meeting with Oman in which review current issues related to the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint to almost 20% of global energy supply. Gharibabadi also said that both nations also exchanged views on the future management of the waterway in the meeting. However, he didn’t specify the date of the meeting.
According to a report from The Daily Star, both Iran and Oman say they hold sovereignty over the waterway.
It is worth mentioning that Iran has been demanding for the recognition of its sovereignty near the Strait of Hormuz since the war with the United States (US) and Iran started in February end.
Meanwhile, reports from CNN show that the US Navy has significantly elevated its security posture in the Middle East, raising the maritime threat assessment level for the Hormuz to "significantly high."
Market reaction
No immediate impact seen in oil prices following the release of above-mentioned headline. At press time, the WTI Oil price trades 0.35% lower to near $69.85.
WTI Oil FAQs
WTI Oil is a type of Crude Oil sold on international markets. The WTI stands for West Texas Intermediate, one of three major types including Brent and Dubai Crude. WTI is also referred to as “light” and “sweet” because of its relatively low gravity and sulfur content respectively. It is considered a high quality Oil that is easily refined. It is sourced in the United States and distributed via the Cushing hub, which is considered “The Pipeline Crossroads of the World”. It is a benchmark for the Oil market and WTI price is frequently quoted in the media.
Like all assets, supply and demand are the key drivers of WTI Oil price. As such, global growth can be a driver of increased demand and vice versa for weak global growth. Political instability, wars, and sanctions can disrupt supply and impact prices. The decisions of OPEC, a group of major Oil-producing countries, is another key driver of price. The value of the US Dollar influences the price of WTI Crude Oil, since Oil is predominantly traded in US Dollars, thus a weaker US Dollar can make Oil more affordable and vice versa.
The weekly Oil inventory reports published by the American Petroleum Institute (API) and the Energy Information Agency (EIA) impact the price of WTI Oil. Changes in inventories reflect fluctuating supply and demand. If the data shows a drop in inventories it can indicate increased demand, pushing up Oil price. Higher inventories can reflect increased supply, pushing down prices. API’s report is published every Tuesday and EIA’s the day after. Their results are usually similar, falling within 1% of each other 75% of the time. The EIA data is considered more reliable, since it is a government agency.
OPEC (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries) is a group of 12 Oil-producing nations who collectively decide production quotas for member countries at twice-yearly meetings. Their decisions often impact WTI Oil prices. When OPEC decides to lower quotas, it can tighten supply, pushing up Oil prices. When OPEC increases production, it has the opposite effect. OPEC+ refers to an expanded group that includes ten extra non-OPEC members, the most notable of which is Russia.
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