The August contract of WTI crude oil negotiated in New York Mercantile Exchange (Nymex) closed this Thursday (25) with a significant increase of 2.25%, quoted at US$ 71.92/barrel. The expiry of the same month for the Brent rose 2.06% in Intercontinental Exchange (ICE)The price of crude oil, trading at US$75.26/barrel, was supported by profit-taking after sharp declines in recent weeks, as well as renewed security concerns in the Middle East. The market reacted to the suspension, by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), of an evacuation operation aimed at removing hundreds of ships and thousands of crew members stranded in the Strait of Hormuz. The decision came after an attack on a vessel in the Gulf of Oman. "I have been informed of an attack that occurred today in the Gulf of Oman against a vessel that had crossed the Strait of Hormuz. This vessel was not transiting under the IMO evacuation scheme," said the Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization, Arsenio Dominguez, in a statement. The incident has once again raised doubts about the safety of the main oil export route from the Middle East, just as the flow of ships through the strait had returned to its highest levels since the beginning of the conflict on February 28. The resumption of navigation was possible after a preliminary agreement was reached between the US and Iran to end hostilities, allowing for the normalization of traffic in the region. The agreement provides for a 60-day period of negotiations to discuss more sensitive issues, such as the Iranian nuclear program. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated today to Gulf allies that any eventual definitive agreement with Iran will take into account the interests of the countries in the region. The statement was made during a visit to the Middle East to reinforce the support of partners who remain cautious regarding the preliminary understanding reached between Washington and Tehran.
This text was translated by machine from Brazilian Portuguese.