Oil prices have risen but remain below $100 per barrel, awaiting the US-Iran negotiations this weekend

Ahead of the negotiations between the U.S. and Iran this weekend, oil prices have risen but remain below $100 per barrel. Emmanuel Belostreino, head of global crude oil and geopolitical market data at Kpler, stated, "The outcome of the negotiations, especially whether a viable shipping navigation agreement can be formed, is a key variable in determining whether the current backlog situation can begin to ease."

In early European trading, both WTI and Brent crude oil continued to rise, currently reported at $99.7 per barrel and $97.6 per barrel, respectively. Navigation in the Strait of Hormuz remains largely frozen, and supply disruptions keep the market tense. Iran's attacks on Saudi Arabia's main export route (the East-West pipeline) have resulted in a daily reduction of approximately 700,000 barrels in the pipeline's delivery capacity.