Oil prices rose more than 2%, with Brent crude closing above $91 a barrel again.

September's contract WTI crude oil negotiated in New York Mercantile Exchange (Nymex) closed this Tuesday (21) with a significant increase of 2.25%, quoted at US$ 84.34/barrel. The expiry of the same month for the Brent advanced 2.00% in Intercontinental Exchange (ICE), trading at US$ 91.01/barrel. 

In this trading session, fuel prices were driven up by the market's reaction to recent signals from Yemen's Houthi paramilitary group about closing down. Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, the alternative route to the Red Sea used for transporting oil produced in the Persian Gulf.

On the eve (20), the Yemeni group announced a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia. As reported by Reuters, the organization sent an email to companies stating that any maritime activity carried out in the country's ports could be targeted by attacks. 

This text was translated by machine from Brazilian Portuguese.