Middle East Tensions Push Oil Higher

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By Chris Lange Updated Published
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Middle East Tensions Push Oil Higher

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Oil pushed higher on Tuesday amid tensions in the Middle East, which could weigh on global oil supplies. Not to mention, troubles in Venezuela seem to be contributing to rising oil prices as well.

On Monday, oil took a step back along with most equities. In fact, energy stocks were one of the largest contributors to Monday’s drop.

Overall, tensions between Saudi Arabia and Iran, as well as concerns over Venezuelan crude production, helped to ground prices, and the markets have recovered handily. Iran nuclear tensions will continue to be part of the picture, and the possible reimposition of U.S. oil sanctions should keep the oil bulls happy, at least in the near term.

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It’s worth pointing out that oil gained some support from signs that the United States might renew sanctions on Iran, which would in turn slow output from the country. Adding fuel to the fire, President Trump separately told European leaders they must “fix the terrible flaws” in the Iran nuclear deal or the United States would refuse to extend its sanctions relief on the country.

On the other side of the globe, Venezuela has been faced with concerns about its falling crude production. This has also helped boost oil prices. The country’s February output was down by more than half a million barrels from last year, according to the International Energy Agency.

West Texas Intermediate crude was last seen up about 1.8% at $63.15 for the April spot.

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Photo of Chris Lange
About the Author Chris Lange →

Chris Lange is a writer for 24/7 Wall St., based in Houston. He has covered financial markets over the past decade with an emphasis on healthcare, tech, and IPOs. During this time, he has published thousands of articles with insightful analysis across these complex fields. Currently, Lange's focus is on military and geopolitical topics.

Lange's work has been quoted or mentioned in Forbes, The New York Times, Business Insider, USA Today, MSN, Yahoo, The Verge, Vice, The Intelligencer, Quartz, Nasdaq, The Motley Fool, Fox Business, International Business Times, The Street, Seeking Alpha, Barron’s, Benzinga, and many other major publications.

A graduate of Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas, Lange majored in business with a particular focus on investments. He has previous experience in the banking industry and startups.

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