Global oil prices hit $100 per barrel as Middle East conflict roils markets

Global oil prices are back at $100 per barrel, rising to their highest levels since July as fighting in the Middle East raises concerns about prolonged disruptions to oil supply.

Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, rose 2.3% early Wednesday to briefly trade at $100 per barrel for the first time since July, before falling back slightly. US crude oil were up 1.3% to hit $94 per barrel.

Brent hit $100 per barrel after a day of conflict and war developments that included the US striking Iranian oil tankers and earlier saw the Iran-backed Houthis attack Saudi Arabia .

Oil prices have been on a rollercoaster this year, oscillating as traders react to flare-ups in fighting and monitor oil tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.

All told, Brent and US crude are each up more than 60% this year, raising the cost of energy across the globe.

The rise in oil prices has pushed up the price of oil products from gasoline to diesel, hitting consumers’ wallets and putting inflation in focus for central banks.

Oil prices have climbed this month as conflict between the United States and Iran reignited. Tensions over the Strait of Hormuz are stoking concerns that oil tankers will continue to face obstacles trying to transit the key waterway.

The US struck four Iranian tankers in the Gulf of Oman and one near Kharg Island in response to attempted ballistic missile attacks on a US Navy warship, US Central Command said Tuesday. Kharg Island, located in the Persian Gulf, is a critical hub for Iran’s oil exports.

Oil prices initially jumped Tuesday after the Iran-backed Houthi rebels attacked Saudi Arabia, targeting oil and other infrastructure. Saudi-led forces vowed to respond, saying dozens of civilians had been injured. Oil prices pared some gains midday before resuming their climb in the afternoon.

The Yemen-based Houthis’ attacks on Saudi Arabia add to concerns that the Iran war is broadening out across the region, impacting more oil production, continuing to slow the global flow of oil and putting pressure on supply.

NASA WORLDVIEW/Reuters

Brent’s return to $100 per barrel is emblematic of the ongoing uncertainty over the flow of oil and threats to refineries in the Middle East.

It’s also a sign that rising energy prices could persist. The surge in oil prices this year has been accompanied by a rise in gas and diesel prices , putting more pressure on consumers.

The US national average diesel price hit a record $5.90 a gallon on Tuesday, according to AAA data.

Gallo Images/Orbital Horizon/Copernicus Sentinel Data 2024/Getty Images

Iran launches missile barrage at Jordan after US strikes 5 Iranian tankers

The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has also hampered the global supply of liquified natural gas, adding to higher energy prices across the globe.

“The combination of expensive diesel, jet fuel, bunker fuel and natural gas is particularly uncomfortable for consumers around the world, who see their disposable income shrinking,” Ole Hansen, head of commodity strategy at Saxo Bank, said in a note.

Brent first settled above $100 per barrel this year on March 12, then its highest level since 2022 when Russia invaded Ukraine.

After surging higher in April and May, Brent then tumbled and fell as low as $72 per barrel in June after the US and Iran said they reached an agreement to re-open the Strait of Hormuz.

But Brent resumed climbing as conflict persisted, topping $100 per barrel again in July before wavering and then hitting that mark again late Tuesday.

The price of oil has moved around as traders monitor traffic through the Strait of Hormuz and try to gauge whether the market is going to see bigger supply issues or not. The United States is trying to help oil tankers move through the strait while Tehran says it retains control.

“Traders will remain focused on how transportation volumes are moving out of the Middle East, as it now seems volumes can change very quickly,” Dennis Kissler, senior vice president of trading at BOK Financial, said in a note.

Fighting in recent months has spread to the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait, complicating the outlook for the oil market. The Houthis have targeted the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a waterway off the coast of Yemen that connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden. The Houthis’ attacks on Saudi oil infrastructure are also contributing to nerves that the region could face greater disruptions to oil production.

Spencer Platt/Getty Images

Americans are footing a $100 billion energy bill from the Iran war

While disruptions to oil supply are in focus, analysts are also watching demand. China, the world’s largest oil importer, has helped keep a lid on oil prices by lowering its imports in recent months, analysts say. If imports pick up in China, it could push oil prices higher.

The flare-up in tensions in the Middle East rattled the stock market: The S&P 500 fell 0.6% on Tuesday.

The S&P 500 is down less than 2% since hitting a record high in mid-August. Stocks continue to trade near record highs, but the market has taken a step lower over the past month as the rise in oil prices has put nerves about inflation and higher interest rates back in focus.

Central banks across the globe are expected to hold rates steady, or even raise rates, in response to the rise in energy prices sparked by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

Bond yields across the globe have surged in recent weeks as traders brace for central bank rate hikes and assess the inflationary impact of higher oil prices.

The stock market is entering a critical stretch where the combination of fighting in the Middle East and a series of central bank decisions will test investors’ resolve.

CNN’s Zachary Cohen contributed reporting

由于中东地区的冲突引发了人们对石油供应长期中断的担忧，全球油价重回每桶100美元，升至7月以来的最高水平。

全球原油基准布伦特原油周三早盘上涨2.3%，一度短暂触及每桶100美元，创下7月以来新高，随后小幅回落。美国原油价格上涨1.3%，至每桶94美元。

在经历了包括美国袭击伊朗油轮以及早些时候伊朗支持的胡塞武装袭击沙特阿拉伯在内的一系列冲突和战争事件后，布伦特原油价格一度达到每桶 100 美元。

今年以来，油价一直像坐过山车一样波动，交易员们对冲突升级做出反应，并密切关注霍尔木兹海峡的油轮交通情况。

总的来说，布伦特原油和美国原油今年以来均上涨超过 60%，推高了全球能源成本。

油价上涨推高了从汽油到柴油等石油产品的价格，加重了消费者的负担，也使通货膨胀成为各国央行关注的焦点。

由于美伊冲突再度升温，本月油价攀升。霍尔木兹海峡的紧张局势加剧了人们的担忧，即油轮在试图通过这条重要水道时将继续面临阻碍。

美国中央司令部周二表示，为回应伊朗企图用弹道导弹袭击美国海军军舰，美国在阿曼湾袭击了四艘伊朗油轮，并在哈尔格岛附近袭击了一艘伊朗油轮。哈尔格岛位于波斯湾，是伊朗石油出口的重要枢纽。

周二，伊朗支持的胡塞武装袭击沙特阿拉伯，目标包括石油和其他基础设施，油价应声上涨。沙特领导的部队誓言予以回击，并称数十名平民受伤。午间油价涨幅有所回落，但下午又恢复攀升。

也门胡塞武装对沙特阿拉伯的袭击加剧了人们对伊朗战争正在该地区蔓延的担忧，这将影响更多石油生产，继续减缓全球石油流动，并对供应造成压力。

美国宇航局世界观/路透社

布伦特原油价格重回每桶 100 美元，象征着石油供应持续存在不确定性，以及中东炼油厂面临的威胁。

这也预示着能源价格上涨的趋势可能会持续。今年油价飙升的同时，汽油和柴油价格也随之上涨，给消费者带来了更大的压力。

根据美国汽车协会（AAA）的数据，周二美国全国平均柴油价格达到创纪录的每加仑5.90美元。

Gallo Images/Orbital Horizo​​n/哥白尼哨兵2024年数据/Getty Images

美国袭击5艘伊朗油轮后，伊朗向约旦发射导弹。

霍尔木兹海峡的关闭也阻碍了全球液化天然气的供应，导致全球能源价格上涨。

盛宝银行大宗商品策略主管奥勒·汉森在一份报告中表示：“柴油、航空燃油、船用燃料油和天然气价格高企的组合，让世界各地的消费者感到格外不舒服，因为他们的可支配收入正在减少。”

今年3月12日，布伦特原油价格首次稳定在每桶100美元以上，这是自2022年俄罗斯入侵乌克兰以来的最高水平。

布伦特原油在 4 月和 5 月大幅上涨后，6 月开始暴跌，一度跌至每桶 72 美元的低点，此前美国和伊朗宣布已达成协议，重新开放霍尔木兹海峡。

但随着冲突持续，布伦特原油价格恢复上涨，7 月份再次突破每桶 100 美元，之后出现波动，然后在周二晚些时候再次达到该水平。

由于交易员密切关注霍尔木兹海峡的交通状况，并试图判断市场是否会出现更大的供应问题，油价出现波动。美国正努力帮助油轮通过海峡，而德黑兰则声称其仍控制着海峡。

BOK Financial 高级副总裁 Dennis Kissler 在一份报告中表示：“交易员将继续关注中东地区的运输量变化，因为目前看来运输量变化非常迅速。”

近几个月来，战火已蔓延至红海和曼德海峡，令石油市场前景更加复杂。胡塞武装将目标对准了曼德海峡，这条位于也门沿海的水道连接着红海和亚丁湾。胡塞武装对沙特石油基础设施的袭击也加剧了人们对该地区石油生产可能面临更大中断的担忧。

Spencer Platt/Getty Images

美国人正为伊朗战争支付1000亿美元的能源账单。

尽管石油供应中断是关注焦点，但分析师也在密切关注需求。分析师表示，作为全球最大的石油进口国，中国近几个月来通过减少进口量抑制了油价。如果中国进口量回升，可能会推高油价。

中东紧张局势升级，令股市震荡：周二，标普500指数下跌0.6%。

自8月中旬创下历史新高以来，标普500指数下跌不到2%。尽管股市继续在历史高位附近交易，但由于油价上涨再次引发人们对通胀和利率上升的担忧，过去一个月市场有所回落。

受霍尔木兹海峡关闭引发的能源价格上涨影响，预计全球各国央行将维持利率不变，甚至提高利率。

近几周来，全球债券收益率大幅飙升，交易员们正密切关注各国央行加息预期，并评估油价上涨带来的通胀影响。

股市正进入关键时期，中东战事和一系列央行决策将考验投资者的决心。

CNN记者扎卡里·科恩对此报道亦有贡献。