Ongoing tensions in the Gulf region pushed Brent crude futures back above $101 a barrel. Reports of Houthi attacks in Saudi Arabia, missile interceptions near Riyadh, and concerns about tanker attacks in the Strait of Hormuz have produced a lot of uncertainty about supplies ahead of the Northern Hemisphere winter.
In recent weeks, crude flows through the Strait of Hormuz have increased, but only because of the US military presence in the critical waterway. Meanwhile, Trump administration officials have boasted that Iran's exports have plunged to zero.
Iran reiterated earlier this week that the Hormuz chokepoint won't reopen until US negotiators meet its conditions for a peace deal. The problem with that is that Goldman's most recent report on Hormuz crude flows shows they are back to prewar levels as Tehran's leverage erodes.
A new indication that Hormuz energy flows could ramp up comes from
