
Iran offers energy deals as sweetener in nuclear talks with US
Tehran dangles oil, gas, and mining contracts to make a nuclear deal stick, while Washington slaps fresh sanctions on 14 tankers in Iran's shadow fleet.

Tehran dangles oil, gas, and mining contracts to make a nuclear deal stick, while Washington slaps fresh sanctions on 14 tankers in Iran's shadow fleet.

Eight OPEC+ producers are leaning toward restarting output increases in April, but a widening gap between demand forecasts clouds the decision.

Brent crude dropped to $67.51 as the IEA slashed its 2026 demand growth forecast by 80,000 barrels a day and warned of a 3.7 million bpd surplus.

The EIA reported the largest weekly gas storage withdrawal on record as Winter Storm Fern drove consumption 29% above normal and froze Gulf Coast production.

API reported an 11.1 million barrel crude draw for the week ending January 31, dwarfing expectations for a build and marking the steepest weekly decline since mid-2023.

Crude prices fell for the first time in three days after Tehran announced nuclear negotiations with Washington will take place Friday in Muscat, easing fears of imminent military action.

Brent crude rose to $68.68 and WTI hit $65.14 after a US F-35C shot down an Iranian Shahed drone near the USS Lincoln, while IRGC gunboats challenged a US tanker in the Strait of Hormuz.

WTI plunged 5% to $62 as US-Iran talks eased war fears, but drone strikes and OPEC supply decisions keep traders guessing on what comes next.

Norway's Equinor will exit onshore Vaca Muerta in a cash-and-stock deal with Vista Energy, keeping its Argentine offshore exploration licenses intact.