Oil Rises Again On Tension Fuelled By Tanker Attacks

London, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 15th Jun, 2019 ) :Oil prices rose again Friday in reaction to geopolitical tension, building on the previous day's surge sparked by suspected attacks on two tankers in the Gulf of Oman.

The US government blamed Iran for mysterious explosions on the tankers, and there were growing fears that Iran could close the Strait of Hormuz, a major choke point for world oil shipments.

Despite a potentially disastrous standoff between the two foes, oil traders were "not getting carried away", said Craig Erlam, senior market analyst at OANDA.

Prices jumped by more than four percent at one stage on Thursday as reports of the attacks in the Gulf of Oman flashed onto traders' screens.

- 'Not risen too much' - "Oil prices may have spiked following the attacks but they have not risen too much considering the risk that an escalation poses," said Erlam.

"Perhaps this is a sign of how pressured oil prices are to the downside at the moment, with the US pumping at record levels and the global economy slowing." The International Energy Agency said earlier Friday that tepid growth in demand for oil along with ample supplies from non-OPEC countries will complicate efforts by the cartel and its allies to boost prices.

In its monthly report, the agency cut its forecast for demand growth this year for the second month straight -- and trimmed its second quarter forecast aswell.