Oil climbs above $100 as Iran war batters Asian stocks
Oil prices have risen further above $100 a barrel as the Iran war moves into its third week, putting fresh pressure on global markets.Both Brent crude and US benchmark WTI extended recent gains, driven by fears of prolonged supply disruptions from the Middle East. Brent climbed by about three percent in early Asian trading, briefly touching around $106.50 before easing back toward $105.WTI hovered just under the $100 mark after also surging sharply since the conflict began. Since the start of the war, Brent has jumped by more than 40 percent, while US crude is up almost 50 percent.Analysts warn that rising energy costs risk fuelling inflation again and could slow global economic growth. Most Asian stock markets fell as investors reacted to the threat of an energy shock and reduced expectations of interest rate cuts.Indexes in Tokyo, Shanghai, Seoul, […]