# Brent crude
Latest news and articles about Brent crude
Total: 7 articles found
Hawkish Powell, Middle East Shock and Oil Surge Send Markets Tumbling
The Fed maintained rates but Chair Powell’s hawkish tone, coupled with escalating Middle East tensions and a surge in oil prices, triggered a sharp global market selloff. Stocks and cryptocurrencies fell, Treasury yields and the dollar rose, and paradoxically precious metals dropped as real yields climbed. Investors now face the twin risks of prolonged restrictive U.S. policy and an oil-driven inflation shock, complicating the outlook for markets and central‑bank timing on future rate cuts.
Hormuz Shutdown Sparks a Fourth Oil Shock — Strategic Reserves Won’t Plug the Flow Gap
A near‑halt to oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz has precipitated an unprecedented supply shock, prompting the IEA to authorise a 400‑million‑barrel emergency release. Analysts warn that slow delivery rates and trapped spare capacity mean strategic stocks cannot quickly replace lost flows, elevating the risk of global stagflation and prolonged high prices.
CME Warns of ‘Epic Disaster’ if U.S. Intervenes in Oil Futures as Markets Whipsaw
CME Group’s CEO warned that any U.S. intervention in oil futures to suppress prices could provoke a grave market crisis, after volatile trading around Brent prompted speculation that the Treasury might have sold futures. Officials deny trading activity, but the episode highlights the risks of politicising price discovery and the knock‑on effects for liquidity, hedging and global markets.
Largest Ever IEA Oil Release Fails to Calm Markets as Iran Threatens Strait of Hormuz and Japan Acts Alone
The IEA coordinated release of 400 million barrels — the largest ever — failed to reassure markets after renewed tensions over the Strait of Hormuz. Iran says it will allow some vessels transit but threatens to use the strait as leverage, while Japan has unilaterally released reserves, highlighting acute supply anxieties and limits to reserve deployments.
Trump Declares Iran War 'Basically Over' as Oil Markets Whipsaw and Tehran Names New Supreme Leader
President Trump declared the US‑led campaign against Iran "basically over," citing widespread destruction of Iranian military assets after strikes on over 3,000 targets, a claim that coincided with wild swings in Brent crude. Iran named Mujtaba Khamenei as its new supreme leader as the Strait of Hormuz remains closed, keeping energy markets and diplomatic tensions on edge.
Calm on the Surface, Risk Beneath: Why US Markets Look Unfazed as Middle East Tensions Flare
US equities were unusually calm after a weekend escalation in the Middle East, with an early sell‑off reversing and volumes dropping sharply. Energy and shipping markets priced a clear risk premium while bond yields rose, signalling markets are prioritising inflation risk over a classic flight to safety; the key variable remains how long disruptions persist.
Historic Surge: China’s Big Three Oil Majors Close at Daily Limit as Brent Jumps on Middle East Strike
China’s three state oil majors—PetroChina, Sinopec and CNOOC—simultaneously closed at their daily trading limit for the first time, driven by an abrupt spike in Brent crude following a US-Israel strike on Iran. The move reflects a rapid repricing of geopolitical supply risk after disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz and underscores how Chinese markets amplify global energy shocks.