Oil prices slid about
two per cent to fresh two-month lows on Tuesday (10 Nov) after US officials
downplayed the need for additional military action against Iran, easing fears
of additional Middle East supply disruptions.
Brent futures fell $1.93, or 2.1 per cent, to $90.64 a barrel at 10:28
ET (15:28 GMT), while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude fell $1.44, or 1.7
per cent, to $85.41. That put both
crude benchmarks on track for their lowest closes since August 28. On Monday,
both contracts closed at their lowest since August 31. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on
Tuesday that he told Group of Seven allies that the US economic sanctions and
naval blockade are working so well that US President Donald Trump does not need to conduct major combat operations in
Iran. Rubio
made the comments during a meeting in Paris of foreign ministers from the G7,
which comprises Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United
States, as well as the European Union.
On Monday, Trump said he plans to hold off on new military strikes
against Iran for the time being after appeals from countries in the region,
including from Qatar's prime minister in White House talks. "The market continues to prioritise
President Trump's more conciliatory tone toward Iran since the midterms,"
said Tim Waterer, chief market analyst at KCM Trade. In last week's US midterm elections,
voters focused on the rising cost of living and handed solid majorities in both
houses of Congress to the Democratic Party.
Trump, in a Reuters interview and a later appearance in the White
House press briefing room, said he plans to keep up a naval blockade in the
Strait of Hormuz for now. Before the
US and Israel started attacking Iran in February, about 20 per cent of the
world's oil supplies passed through the Strait of Hormuz. More than eight months into the conflict,
Trump has played down the likelihood of major warfare restarting soon but
remains unwilling to accept an existing Iranian truce plan. Senior US and
Persian Gulf officials have cast doubt on the chances of an imminent deal.
Mutual attacks
continue, with the US striking Iran's Qeshm island overnight, according to
Iranian state media, and Iran attacking tankers in the gulf and Strait of
Hormuz this month while its Yemeni Houthi allies have hit Saudi Arabia.