Crude oil prices fell more than $1 a barrel on Friday, capping a volatile week in which benchmarks kept on track for a monthly rise of approximately 20%.
The pullback came as increased supply flows through critical maritime chokepoints helped ease immediate supply fears, despite the absence of major breakthroughs in ongoing talks between the United States and Iran.
The development follows a sharp reversal on Thursday, when crude prices fell nearly 3% after reports indicated former U.
Brent crude and West Texas Intermediate (WTI) both retreated from their recent session highs, reflecting a shift in market sentiment from geopolitical risk premium to supply normalization.
The price action suggests traders are weighing the tangible increase in shipping activity against the lingering uncertainty of the US-Iran conflict.
While the broader monthly trend remains positive, the intraday decline highlights the market's sensitivity to real-time flow data.
The development follows a sharp reversal on Thursday, when crude prices fell nearly 3% after reports indicated former U.S. President Donald Trump signaled hesitancy to resume full-scale military action against Iran.