Oil drifts lower as Strait of Hormuz reopens, focus shifts to demand outlook

Oil was in choppy trade on Friday, as markets assess the implications of the interim U.S.-Iran deal and signs that shipping activity through the Strait of Hormuz is recovering. International benchmark Brent crude futures for August fell 0.45% to $79.49 a barrel. U.S. West Texas Intermediate futures for July declined 0.31% to $76.36 per barrel. Stock Chart IconStock chart icon Vice…

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Japan core inflation holds steady in May, matching expectations despite energy price concerns

An employee at the Celsior Wadamachi supermarket in Yokohama, Japan, on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. Soaring food costs are a key component driving broader inflation higher, with data Friday expected to show consumer price growth has stayed above the central bank’s 2% target for four straight calendar years. Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images Japan’s core inflation…

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Strait of Hormuz reopening may take weeks

Vessels at the Strait of Hormuz, as seen from Musandam, Oman, June 15, 2026. Stringer | Reuters It will take weeks to clear the backlog of ships in the Strait of Hormuz, industry executives and shipping experts have warned, as the critical waterway is set to reopen. Oil prices initially dipped below $80 per barrel…

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Oil falls as International Energy Agency forecasts supply glut next year after U.S.-Iran deal

Imen Ben Youssef | Afp | Getty Images Oil prices declined Thursday after President Donald Trump reportedly signed ​a deal ​with his Iranian counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian to end the ​war in the Middle East, while the International Energy Agency flagged a supply glut next year. International benchmark Brent crude futures for August dropped 1.13% to $78.65 a barrel. U.S. West…

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