Oil Prices Rise Ahead of U.S.-Iran Talks, Remain Below $100 per Barrel

Oil prices have increased but remain below $100 per barrel as the U.S. and Iran prepare for talks this weekend. According to Odaily, Emmanuel Belostrino, head of global crude oil and geopolitical market data at Kpler, stated that the outcome of the negotiations, particularly the possibility of establishing a viable shipping agreement, is crucial to alleviating the current backlog. During early European trading, both U.S. and Brent crude saw short-term gains, with prices at $99.7 and $97.6 per barrel, respectively. The Strait of Hormuz remains largely frozen, causing supply disruptions and maintaining market tension. Additionally, Iran's attack on Saudi Arabia's main export route, the East-West pipeline, has reduced its daily capacity by approximately 700,000 barrels.