Wall Street closes at a record for the first time since end of January
Investing.com-- Oil prices slipped lower Friday, but were still on course for sharp weekly gains as escalating U.S.-Iran tensions fueled fears of supply disruptions in the Middle East.
At 17:35 ET (22:35 GMT), Brent Oil Futures expiring in April slipped 0.1% to $71.61 per barrel and West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures also fell 0.1% to $66.13 per barrel.
Both contracts recorded their highest levels since early August earlier in the session, and were set to jump more than 5% for the week.
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U.S.-Iran conflict risks in spotlight
Investors have grown increasingly concerned about potential conflict after U.S. President Donald Trump warned Tehran that “bad things” would happen if no nuclear deal is reached within about 10-15 days, raising the prospect of military action.
The U.S. appears to be "likely at this stage" to conduct a military operation in Iran, although the scope and goals of any actions remain an open question, according to analysts at Raymond James.
In a note to clients, the Raymond James analysts including Ellen Ehrnrooth and Ed Mills predicted that the Trump administration may prefer a "more targeted action, but practical realities keep the prospect of a wider engagement firmly on the table."
Any escalation involving Iran -- a major OPEC producer -- could threaten flows through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for roughly a fifth of global oil shipments, amplifying market sensitivity to geopolitical risk.
Citigroup’s $70-75/bbl bull case for Brent reflects sustained supply risks in Iran and Russia, but the Strait would not be blocked in this scenario.
Oil’s rally this week also reflected the reversal of earlier losses, when prices slid at the start of the week on optimism that U.S.-Iran talks were progressing.
Recent hardening rhetoric has since restored the risk premium and lifted crude toward multi-week highs.
U.S. crude stockpiles fall sharply - EIA
U.S. Energy Information Administration data on Thursday showed crude inventories fell by about 9 million barrels in the latest week, against below forecasts for a build of 1.7 million barrels.
The data also showed declines in gasoline and distillate stocks, both below expectations, reflecting robust demand from refineries and consumers.
The market also received a hotter-than-expected core U.S. Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) Price Index reading on Friday, widely seen as the Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation gauge.
SCOTUS strikes down Trump’s tariffs
Market participants also kept an eye on a notable development on the trade front. In a long-awaited opinion, the Supreme Court of the United States on Friday ruled 6 to 3 that Trump did not have authority to use the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to impose tariffs.
Traders will wait and see what, if any, repercussions the ruling has on oil markets.
Ayushman Ojha and Peter Nurse contributed to this article
