Iran insists on control of Hormuz amid reports of US talks
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that responsibility for the Strait of Hormuz lies solely with Tehran and warned that any attempt to bypass its preferred route in the waterway will cause “tension and escalation,” Aljazeera reported on Monday.
Last Sunday, the US and Iran agreed to halt attacks and meet in Doha, Qatar, on Tuesday to resolve their dispute over the Strait of Hormuz, the Axios news site reported. US officials stated that Wasington and Tehran “will stand down for now” following an exchange of fire near the critical waterway over the last several days.
Elsewhere, Hezbollah accused the Israeli military of breaching the ceasefire in Lebanon by launching several attacks across southern areas on Sunday. “We are monitoring and observing these violations [of the ceasefire agreement] and reserve our right to defend our homeland and people,” the statement added.
Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri said that the trilateral framework agreement between Lebanon, Israel and the US “will not pass” and “will not be implemented” as it does not guarantee Lebanon’s rights.
Market reaction
At press time, the WTI Oil price trades 0.48% lower at around $69.80.
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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