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Oil prices plunge as Iran says Strait of Hormuz
Oil prices have plummeted after Iran said the Strait of Hormuz would be "completely open" to commercial ships for the remainder of the ceasefire in the US-Israel war with Iran.
The cost of a barrel of Brent crude fell to $88 (£65) a barrel after the announcement, having been above $98 earlier on Friday.
The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow strip of water south of Iran through which a fifth of the world's oil and liquified natural gas is typically transported.
US President Donald Trump welcomed Iran's statement, but maritime groups are still verifying it.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said: "The passage for all commercial vessels through Strait of Hormuz is declared completely open for the remaining period of ceasefire."
Global markets rallied on the announcement, with S&P 500 index of the biggest firms listed in the US closed up 1.2%. The Cac index in Paris and Dax in Frankfurt both ended the day around 2% up while London's FTSE 100 closed 0.7% up.
The Strait of Hormuz has been effectively shut by Iran since the US and Israel launched military strikes in the country in late February.
Tanker traffic through the waterway has slowed to a trickle, drastically reducing the amount of oil and gas available on global markets and causing prices to spike.
Before the conflict, Brent crude was trading at under $70 per barrel. It rose above $100 before reaching a peak of more than $119 per barrel in March. Later on Friday, it rose back to $92.
While Iran says the Strait of Hormuz is "completely open" and Trump has voiced his appreciation, the international shipping body BIMCO has expressed concern, in advice to operators, about the ongoing risks.
Jakob Larsen, BIMCO chief safety and security officer, said: "The status of mine threats in the traffic separation scheme is unclear and BIMCO believes shipping companies should consider avoiding the area.
This means that the Traffic Separation Scheme is not declared safe for transit at this point.
Meanwhile the head of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) is trying to understand the details behind Iran's commitment to reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
The IMO's secretary general Arsenio Dominguez said on social media: "We are currently verifying the recent announcement related to the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, in terms of its compliance with freedom of navigation for all merchant vessels and secure passage using the IMO established traffic separation scheme."
Sharp rises in the price of oil have pushed up the price of petrol and diesel for drivers, as well as sparking concerns over the supply of jet fuel, leading to fears airlines will have to ground flights.
The closure of the key waterway has also cut off a major supply line of fertiliser, used by farmers, raising the prospect of higher food prices as a result of the conflict.
A third of the world's key fertiliser chemicals pass through the Strait, and prices have risen steeply since the outbreak of war.
However, hours before Araghchi's statement, motoring group the RAC said petrol and diesel prices had fallen slightly in the UK for the first time since the US-Israel war with Iran began.
Pump prices began to ease on Thursday and continued on Friday, it said, though it remains far more expensive to fill up a tank than it did in February.
Iran's statement on re-opening the Strait of Hormuz followed a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon.
US President Donald Trump welcomed the move, writing on Truth Social: "IRAN HAS JUST ANNOUNCED THAT THE STRAIT OF IRAN IS FULLY OPEN AND READY FOR FULL PASSAGE. THANK YOU!"
Trump added that Iran had agreed "to never close the Strait of Hormuz again... it will no longer be used as a weapon against the world".
But, in a follow up post, he said a naval blockade of Iran will remain "in full force and effect" until a permanent deal to end the US-Israel war with the country is agreed.
Despite Iran's announcement, one oil and gas shipping operator told the BBC it "doesn't change anything" immediately.
"We don't feel like we need to be taking unnecessary risks and our company approach is that we won't be the first to go through the Strait", the operator, who did not want to be named, said.
Another company, Stena Bulk, which operates oil tankers in the region, said it was "monitoring developments closely".
"The safety of our crew and vessels governs every routing decision, and we will not transit until we are satisfied it is safe to do so", the company added.
Kieran Tompkins, senior climate and commodities economist at Capital Economics, said the ceasefire, due to end in nine days, "offers only a narrow window of opportunity for oil tankers to navigate the Strait, load up, and exit".
"That suggests that the number of vessels entering the Strait may not return to pre-war norms yet, but it does offer an opportunity for trapped tankers to leave," he added.
Professor ManMohan Sodhi of the Bayes Business School said consumers will continue feeling the pressure even if a longer-term peace deal is reached.
"Supply chains will take months to clear," he said.
Source: BBC
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