Crude oil prices maintained their position near one-month peaks on Thursday, buoyed by persistent concerns over supply disruptions following fresh US military strikes on Iran.
While the market saw some profit-taking pressure, the underlying geopolitical risk premium remained intact, preventing a significant pullback in energy benchmarks.
Brent crude and West Texas Intermediate (WTI) both traded higher in the session, reflecting trader anxiety about potential spillover effects on global energy infrastructure.
The resilience of prices suggests that markets are pricing in a sustained period of elevated volatility rather than a transient spike.
Investors are closely monitoring the Strait of Hormuz and other key shipping lanes for any signs of operational interference.
This development follows a week of escalating tensions in the Middle East, which had previously driven oil prices sharply higher.