Oil tops $100 as Middle East disruption roils markets

Oil climbed past $100 a barrel as ongoing disruption to Middle East energy flows spooked markets, with Brent crude hovering near the $100 mark and traders weighing supply risk. The volatility underscores how geopolitical tension can tighten global energy delivery and ripple through economies that rely on steady fuel supplies.

To blunt price pressures, the US Department of Energy announced it will release 172 million barrels from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, starting next week, in a bid to inject supply into the market as the Middle East conflict continues to roil prices. The move follows a period of elevated pricing and is intended to provide short-term relief as traders monitor how much relief the reserve draw offers and whether prices settle back toward the $90s.

Analysts say the SPR deployment is a critical policy tool during spikes, but the ultimate impact will depend on how long the disruption lasts and how markets interpret the broader geopolitical outlook. In the near term, oil markets remain sensitive to headlines from the region and global demand signals, leaving observers wary of renewed volatility even as policy actions are taken to temper runaway prices.

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