Overview
- Brent traded near $64.7 a barrel and WTI around $60 after Thursday’s 2% slide, putting both benchmarks on track for a small weekly gain.
- Trump said an American ‘armada’ was heading toward Iran, and Reuters cited a U.S. official saying an aircraft carrier and guided-missile destroyers were en route to the Middle East.
- U.S. crude stocks rose by 3.6 million barrels last week, the EIA reported, far above expectations and indicative of comfortable near‑term supply.
- Market analysts said recent price swings are being driven more by geopolitical headlines than by underlying balances, with an estimated $3–$5 per barrel risk premium.
- Iran produces roughly 3.3–3.4 million barrels per day and exports about 1.8–2.0 million bpd, and analysts warn that any disruption would likely push prices higher.