OPEC increases output to stabilize market

The global oil market is back in chaos after Israel launched military strikes against Iran on Friday. The move pushed crude oil prices up 8% to $74 a barrel in a matter of hours, shaking up inflation forecasts and triggering panic over future supply. The strike now threatens two critical lifelines: Iran’s own daily crude exports and the Strait of Hormuz, one of the most vital chokepoints for oil tankers in the world. Iran had already been seeing drops in its oil shipments before the attack. In May, the country exported 1.7 million barrels a day, based on figures shared by Bernstein, a brokerage. That’s a small slice—less than 2% of total global oil consumption—but in today’s energy market, even small cuts matter. With rising tensions, those exports are expected to dip further, and there’s no timeline for how long this disruption could last. OPEC increases output to stabilize the market The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), where Iran is a founding member, has already moved to raise production. By the end of June, the group plans to push out an additional 960,000 barrels per day, reversing past cuts. Analysts tracking the cartel expect that to rise further to 2.2 million barrels daily, but that depends on how fast they act and how deep the damage to Iran’s export system goes. Even with that extra oil coming, the current supply balance is fragile. If Iran’s barrels disappear faster than OPEC can fill the gap, prices could shoot higher. Before the attacks, oil was already hovering between $75 and $80 per barrel depending on the month. Now, traders are bracing for those numbers to go out the window. But the much bigger risk lies offshore, not in Iran’s pipelines. The Strait of Hormuz, a narrow sea corridor between Iran and Oman, carries nearly a fifth of all oil traded globally. It’s also a major path for Qatar’s liquefied natural gas exports. If Iran retaliates by disrupting shipping lanes or attacking vessels, the impact would go far beyond Iran’s own oil. JPMorgan analysts warned that if tankers can’t pass through, oil could blow past $130 per barrel. If it hits $120, it could instantly add 1.7 percentage points to US inflation, which is already at 2.4% year-on-year through the end of May. That would hit consumers directly, especially in America, where falling gas prices have helped slow inflation. Trump watches oil closely Despite the risk, Iran has never actually blocked the Strait of Hormuz, though it has threatened to do so many times. The actual logistics of closing the channel would be difficult. But with President Donald Trump now back in the White House, oil prices have once again become a major focus for US foreign policy. Israel is expected to avoid hitting Iran’s oil infrastructure for now, likely out of concern over how Trump would react to another oil shock. Economic growth expectations are already slipping. Higher oil prices could stall recovery plans and force central banks to hold off on any interest rate cuts. That would make borrowing more expensive and slow down job creation. The ripple effect is already being felt, and it’s barely started. A planned US-Iran nuclear negotiation scheduled for Sunday in Oman has already collapsed. Iranian state media confirmed they won’t attend, setting the stage for more escalations. Maksad said that without Iran returning to talks, “Israel will have to take successive rounds of action to take out what’s left of Iran’s nuclear program.” Just one day before the strikes, the IAEA Board of Governors, the U.N.’s nuclear watchdog, formally declared Iran in violation of its nuclear safeguards for the first time in nearly 20 years. That ruling was expected to raise tensions. Instead, it lit the fuse. Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, posted a response to the Israeli strikes on X, threatening a violent reaction. “That [Zionist] regime should anticipate a severe punishment,” he wrote, adding that Iran’s Armed Forces “won’t let them go unpunished.” In a second post, Khamenei said, “Several commanders and scientists have been martyred” but promised that their replacements would continue operations without delay. Cryptopolitan Academy: Want to grow your money in 2025? Learn how to do it with DeFi in our upcoming webclass. Save Your Spot

Source: Cryptopolitan