Brent bias held neutral on August 15, 2026
Brent crude is being driven by escalating Middle East tensions, as US strikes on Iran and threats of an indefinite blockade have intensified supply disruption fears around the Strait of Hormuz. With attacks halting traffic and shipping rerouted through Tehran-controlled channels, the market has added a risk premium, pushing prices toward a 4% weekly gain.
Updated
The reading that day
NeutralAt the close of the UTC day.
BearishNeutralBullish
It held all day.
The day on the wire
00:0006:0012:0018:0024:00
The band shows the reading through the day; a mark shows where it changed. Each tick is a headline first seen that day.
The reading through the day
- 00:00Neutral
Headlines (14)
First seen on August 15
- UAE says Iran attacked ADNOC vessel in Hormuz, urges Iran to halt attacks, reopen waterwaysjpost.com
Carried over from earlier days
- Oil to open higher as US strikes on Iran boost supply risk premiumboereport.com
- CNBC Daily Open: Middle East tensions send oil higher while Iran-U.S. tensions escalateCNBC
- US can keep naval blockade on Iranian ports "indefinitely," Pentagon chief saysInvesting.com
- Jefferies: Diesel Cracks Reveal the Real Oil Market SqueezeOilPrice.com
- investingLive Asia-Pacific Market news: Oil edges up, small moveInvestingLive
- Oil Prices Head for 4% Weekly Gain as U.S.-Iran Deadlock Drags OnOilPrice.com
- Oil moves higher as U.S. threatens 'economic isolation' of IranCNBC
- US threatens ‘indefinite’ blockade against Iran: How long can it last?Al Jazeera
- Fallout Spreads Across the Middle East as the Iran War Grinds OnOilPrice.com
- Hormuz Attacks Push Oil Toward $100 Despite US Crude BuildOilPrice.com
- Iranian Attacks Push Hormuz Shipping Toward Tehran-Controlled Routegcaptain.com
- US oil rigs rise to 455 as Strait of Hormuz attacks halt trafficInvesting.com
- Donald Trump to declare Hormuz US territory 'soon'dw.com
Scheduled events
As of
| Event | Forecast | Currency |
|---|---|---|
| Monday, August 17 | ||
| New Home Prices m/m | CNY | |
| Fixed Asset Investment ytd/y | -6.2% | CNY |
| NBS Press Conference | CNY | |
| Industrial Production y/y | 5.0% | CNY |
| Retail Sales y/y | 1.5% | CNY |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.1% | CNY |
| Common CPI y/y | 2.5% | CAD |
| CPI m/m | 0.4% | CAD |