Oil futures jump on Gulf shipping and Iran strike fears

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Gulf coast, shutting in production. S. military strikes against Iran, and President Trump's stated preference against a deal combine to paint a volatile geopolitical backdrop," says Nikos Tzabouras of Tradu. But the picture isn't "uniformly bullish," he adds, noting gradual increases in supply and the G7 commitment to release additional reserves.

76 a barrel. P. Morgan analysts write. The French electrical equipment supplier raised its 2026 guidance in July, and now forecasts constant currency sales growth of 16%-19% compared with 10% to 15% previously.

00 euro target price. 95 euros, but up around 10% over the year-to-date. S. software maker PTC, and it will take time for the deal to be digested, Jefferies analysts say in a research note.

Most investors don't understand the need to invest as much in the French engineering group's industrial-automation division, the analysts say. The company could ease some of those concerns by completing a capital increase quickly and presenting a clear plan to deliver synergies, Jefferies says. Addressing the AI disruption risk will be more difficult, especially given that the deal will take about a year to close, the analysts add. Jefferies raises its target price on Schneider's stock to 323 euros from 289 euros.

40 euros. com) 0357 ET - European natural-gas prices climb back above 80 euros a megawatt-hour as concerns over continued attacks on shipping in the Gulf raised fresh questions about the security of LNG supplies. According to a Bloomberg report, Qatar had assembled a fleet of at least 12 empty LNG tankers in the Persian Gulf, suggesting it was preparing to resume or increase shipments. However, intensifying attacks on vessels in the region have heightened concerns over the safety of transits.

59 euros a megawatt-hour. Meanwhile, European Union underground natural-gas storage facilities are currently 72% full, according to data from industry group Gas Infrastructure Europe, well below the seasonal average. S. Gulf Coast late Friday as a hurricane.

A tanker sailing off Qatar's northern coast was struck by multiple projectiles in the latest attack reported this week, according to a British maritime security agency. Meanwhile, media reports said President Donald Trump and his national security team had discussed the possibility of launching strikes against Iranian targets before next month's midterm elections. At the same time, some major producers in the Gulf of Mexico have started evacuating workers and halting production ahead of Isaias, adding to concerns about potential supply disruptions. 60 a barrel.

K. government bonds, or gilts, rise as accelerating oil prices raise concerns about inflation and the possibility of interest-rate rises by the Bank of England. 8 a barrel. Markets price in an 83% chance of a BOE rate increase in November and fully expect four rate hikes by September 2027, LSEG data show.

483%, Tradeweb data show. 2 billion, HSBC analyst Kim Fustier writes. The British energy major's quarterly performance update contained few surprises, with very strong refining margins and robust oil and gas trading being the key elements, she says. The record margins will more than offset a fall in refinery utilization rates, she adds.

S. stocks overnight as Treasury yields rise and oil prices rally amid ongoing conflict in the Middle East. S. equities is rising while the surge in yields along with the dollar creates a difficult environment for speculative assets that depend heavily on liquidity and lower real yields adjusted for inflation, Zaye Capital Markets analyst Naeem Aslam says in a note.

com) 0249 ET - After promising industrial production data and encouraging recent sentiment indicators, weaker German export data undermine the recent narrative of German industrial resilience, ING's Carsten Brzeski says in a note. "While German exporters benefited from Asian competitors being hit harder by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz in the second quarter, the third quarter so far has been a setback," he says. 5% fall, which taken together could also be a sign of low water levels in Germany's rivers affecting the economy. France's fiscal difficulties could raise further trouble ahead.

France accounts for more than 7% of German exports, meaning economic weakness there is unlikely to leave Germany unscathed, Brzeski says. com) 0218 ET - PTT Exploration & Production's earnings stand to benefit from likely increases in oil prices, CGS International's Amornrat Cheevavichawakul says in a research report. 00 a barrel this week, which probably reflects risk premium embedded in physical spot cargoes, the analyst says. Geopolitical risks in the Middle East could keep Brent crude prices elevated in 4Q.

Also, the need to rebuild depleted oil inventories could provide further support to oil prices. 4%. 00 baht with an unchanged add rating. 50 baht.

com) (END) Dow Jones Newswires October 08, 2026 09:11 ET (13:11 GMT) Copyright (c) 2026 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. The statements in this document shall not be considered as an objective or independent explanation of the matters. Please note that this document (a) has not been prepared in accordance with legal requirements designed to promote the independence of investment research, and (b) is not subject to any prohibition on dealing ahead of the dissemination or publication of investment research.