Core Viewpoint - The recent escalation of conflict between Israel and Iran has led to significant volatility in global oil prices, with the CBOE Crude Oil ETF Volatility Index (OVX) becoming a key indicator of market uncertainty [1][4]. Group 1: Market Volatility - The OVX index surged by 26% to 71.56, marking its highest closing level since March 2022, and has increased by 104% over the past five trading days [1]. - Historical data shows that the OVX has reacted sharply to geopolitical events, such as an 11.7% increase following the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023 [4]. Group 2: Oil Price Movements - WTI crude oil for July delivery rose by 4.3% to $74.84 per barrel, reaching the highest closing price for the front-month contract this year, while Brent crude increased by 4.4% to $76.45 per barrel, the highest since February [5]. - Concerns over potential disruptions to global oil supply are central to the market's volatility, with Iran currently exporting approximately 1.5 million barrels of oil per day [5]. Group 3: Market Positioning - Data from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) indicates that speculative long positions in crude oil are consistent with the average levels of the past three years, suggesting room for further bullish sentiment [7]. - The number of open contracts for WTI crude futures has significantly decreased, indicating that short positions are being covered [7]. Group 4: Future Outlook - If the conflict remains confined to Israel and Iran, the current price increases may have already priced in the primary risks, especially considering the spare capacity of Saudi Arabia and the UAE [7]. - However, if the situation escalates into a broader regional conflict affecting critical infrastructure, there could be significant upward pressure on oil prices [7].