Brent crude moved back above $100 a barrel, returning to triple digits for the first time in nearly two months as traders reacted to worsening security risks in the Red Sea. The latest gains extended an oil rally driven by concern that attacks on commercial vessels could threaten energy flows and lift costs across global markets.
The market focus has shifted beyond the Strait of Hormuz, with investors increasingly worried that tensions in the Middle East may broaden into a wider supply problem. As shipping routes come under pressure, oil prices have strengthened on fears that transport delays, higher insurance costs, and potential disruptions could tighten the market.
Brent's rise came even as traders also weighed signs of a pullback in China's crude imports, a factor that might otherwise have softened price momentum. Instead, geopolitical risk dominated sentiment, helping crude benchmarks hold onto their recent gains as the situation in key transit corridors remained unsettled.
For energy markets, the return of Brent above $100 highlights how quickly supply concerns can outweigh demand signals when major shipping lanes are threatened. With attacks on commercial traffic adding to uncertainty, traders appear focused on whether the latest disruption remains contained or develops into a broader regional oil supply challenge.
