Oil jumps as US and Iran disagree on peace proposal

Published 11 May, 2026 08:48am 2 min read
Crude tanker ODESSA, carrying UAE crude after passing through the Strait of Hormuz, arrives in Seosan Tugboats guide a crude oil tanker passing through the Strait of Hormuz with its Automatic Identification System transponder turned off, as it navigates the waters at Daesan port, in Seosan, South Korea. -- Reuters
Crude tanker ODESSA, carrying UAE crude after passing through the Strait of Hormuz, arrives in Seosan Tugboats guide a crude oil tanker passing through the Strait of Hormuz with its Automatic Identification System transponder turned off, as it navigates the waters at Daesan port, in Seosan, South Korea. -- Reuters

Oil prices jumped $3 a barrel on Monday as the United States and Iran failed to agree to a peace ​proposal drafted by Washington, while the Strait of Hormuz remained largely ​closed, keeping global energy supplies tight.

Brent crude futures climbed $3.18 or ⁠3.14% to $104.47 a barrel by 2336, extending a 1.23% gain on ​Friday.

US West Texas Intermediate was at $98.51 a barrel, up $3.09, or 3.24%, after settling ​0.64% higher in the previous session.

Hopes for an imminent end to the 10-week-old US-Iran conflict that would allow oil transit through the Strait of Hormuz were dashed after President Donald ​Trump on Sunday dismissed the Iranian response to a US proposal for ​peace talks as “unacceptable”.

Trump is scheduled to arrive in Beijing on Wednesday and is expected to discuss ‌Iran ⁠, among other topics, with Chinese President Xi Jinping, according to US officials.

“Market attention now shifts squarely to President Trump’s visit to China this week,” IG market analyst Tony Sycamore said in a note.

“There is hope he can persuade ​Beijing to leverage its ​influence over ⁠Iran to push for a comprehensive ceasefire and a resolution to the ongoing disruption in the Strait of Hormuz.”

The ​world has lost about 1 billion barrels of oil over the ​past two ⁠months, and energy markets will take time to stabilise even if flows resume, Saudi Aramco CEO Amin Nasser said on Sunday.

Another two tankers laden with crude exited ⁠the ​Strait of Hormuz last week with trackers switched ​off to avoid Iranian attacks, Kpler shipping data showed, underscoring a rising trend to sustain Middle ​East oil exports.

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