Crude Prices Gain as Middle Eastern Geopolitical Risks Rise

Geopolitical Risks - Crude oil and gasoline prices increased due to concerns over the widening conflict in the Middle East following Israel's strike in Qatar targeting Hamas leaders [2][3] - Qatar condemned the Israeli attack, stating it violated international law and could escalate tensions in a region that supplies about one-third of global oil [3] Supply Dynamics - OPEC+ has agreed to raise crude production by 137,000 barrels per day (bpd) starting in October, which is a decrease from the previous increases of 547,000 bpd in September and August [4] - Reduced Russian crude output, due to Ukrainian attacks on Russian refineries, has tightened global oil supplies, with Russian crude-processing runs dropping to 5.09 million bpd, the lowest in over 3.25 years [4] Sanctions and Regulatory Environment - Ongoing war in Ukraine may lead to additional sanctions on Russian energy exports, further reducing global oil supplies [5] - US Treasury Secretary indicated that the US will closely examine sanctions on Russia, while European leaders have called for secondary sanctions targeting companies from third countries supporting Russia [5]