Summary
Oil prices dropped by nearly 5% after Israel and Iran agreed to a ceasefire. The price of Brent crude oil fell to $68 a barrel, below its level before the conflict began.
Key Facts
- Oil prices fell by nearly 5% after a ceasefire between Israel and Iran.
- Brent crude oil dropped to $68 a barrel.
- The conflict had led to oil prices spiking as high as $81 a barrel.
- There were concerns that Iran might blockade the Strait of Hormuz, a major shipping lane for oil.
- With the ceasefire, stock markets in Asia rose, including a 1.1% increase in Japan's Nikkei index and a 2.1% rise in Hong Kong's Hang Seng index.
- US President Donald Trump announced that the ceasefire "is now in effect."
- Market analysts suggest that if the ceasefire holds, oil prices might stabilize.
