LONDON: Oil prices rose about $1 a barrel on Tuesday as US sanctions squeezed Iranian crude exports, tightening global supply despite efforts by Washington to get other producers to increase output.
Brent crude futures rose $1.13 to $78.50 a barrel while WTI crude gained $1.10 to $68.64 a barrel in mid afternoon trade in London.
“The impact of the US sanctions on Iran is firmly being felt,” said Tamas Varga, analyst at London brokerage PVM Oil. “The biggest worry is obviously the amount of Iranian oil that is disappearing from the market.”
Washington has told its allies to reduce imports of Iranian oil and several Asian buyers, including South Korea, Japan and India appear to be falling in line.
But the US government does not want to push up oil prices, which could depress economic activity or even trigger a slowdown in global growth.
US Energy Secretary Rick Perry met Saudi Energy Minister Khalid Al-Falih on Monday in Washington, as the Trump administration encourages big oil-producing countries to keep output high. Perry will meet with Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak on Thursday in Moscow.
Russia, the US and Saudi Arabia are the world’s three biggest oil producers by far, meeting around a third of the world’s almost 100 million barrels per day (bpd) of daily crude consumption.
Their combined output has risen by 3.8 million bpd since September 2014, more than the peak output Iran has managed over the last three years.
Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said on Tuesday that Russia and a group of producers around the Middle East which dominate OPEC may sign a new long-term cooperation deal at the beginning of December, the TASS news agency reported. Novak did not provide details.
A group of OPEC and non-OPEC producers have been voluntarily withholding supplies since January 2017 to tighten markets, but with crude prices up by more than 40 percent since then and markets significantly tighter, there has been pressure on producers to raise output.
As Middle East markets tighten, Asian buyers are seeking alternative supplies, with South Korean and Japanese imports of US crude hitting a record in September.
US oil producers are seeking new buyers for crude they used to sell to China before orders slowed because of the trade disputes between Washington and Beijing.
This is one reason that the discount for US crude versus Brent has widened to around $10 per barrel, the biggest since June, traders said.
Oil adds another dollar as Iran sanctions loom
Oil adds another dollar as Iran sanctions loom
- US sanctions to target Iran oil exports from November
- Washington wants other producers to replace falling Iran exports
Closing Bell: Saudi main index slips to close at 10,588
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Tadawul All Share Index slipped on Sunday, losing 127.15 points, or 1.19 percent, to close at 10,588.83.
The total trading turnover of the benchmark index was SR2.57 billion ($685 million), as 28 of the stocks advanced and 232 retreated.
Similarly, the Kingdom’s parallel market Nomu lost 108.53 points, or 0.46 percent, to close at 23,719.13. This comes as 22 of the stocks advanced while 47 retreated.
The MSCI Tadawul Index lost 17.17 points, or 1.22 percent, to close at 1,393.34.
The best-performing stock of the day was Sport Clubs Co., whose share price surged 3.69 percent to SR9.00.
Other top performers included Flynas Co., whose share price rose 2.55 percent to SR72.30, as well as National Industrialization Co., whose share price surged 2.13 percent to SR10.09.
Consolidated Grunenfelder Saady Holding Co. recorded the most significant drop, falling 6.61 percent to SR8.90.
Sustained Infrastructure Holding Co. also saw its stock prices fall 5.75 percent to SR30.82.
CHUBB Arabia Cooperative Insurance Co. also saw its stock prices decline 5.72 percent to SR22.40.
On the announcements front, Wataniya Insurance Co. said it has received a notice of award for a one-year contract with Saudi National Bank to provide general insurance as well as protection and savings insurance services, in line with agreed terms and conditions.
According to a Tadawul statement, coverage will begin on Jan. 1, 2026. The contract value exceeds 15 percent of the company’s total revenues, based on its latest audited financial statements for 2024.
Wataniya Insurance Co. ended the session at SR14.35, up 1.92 percent.
Fawaz Abdulaziz Alhokair Co., or Cenomi Retail, has announced executing a SR1.5 billion facility agreement structured as a short-term loan with Emirates NBD – Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. A bourse filing revealed that the financing duration is three years with an option to extend for a total of two years.
Cenomi Retail ended the session at SR20.00, up 0.26 percent.
First Milling Co. has announced the Board of Directors’ recommendation to amend the firm’s bylaws Article “Company Management” to increase the number of board members from seven to eight. This change reflects the firm’s commitment to broadening the range of expertise and skills on its board, in line with its growth and expansion plans for the next phase.
The company reiterated its commitment to fulfilling all necessary procedures and obtaining approvals from the relevant authorities. The recommendation will be submitted to the upcoming General Assembly, with the date to be announced in due course.
First Milling Co. ended the session at SR49.22, down 1.06 percent.
