Brent Crude
Adobe
The Market Online - At The Bell

Join our daily newsletter At The Bell to receive exclusive market insights

Expect a good day for Woodside Energy (ASX:WDS) shareholders after Brent Crude popped 5% overnight following a fresh round of material with which the market can now worry about all-out war in the Middle East.

Listen to the HotCopper podcast for in-depth discussions and insights on all the biggest headlines from throughout the week. On Spotify, Apple, and more.

Iran, ever diplomatic, has more or less said overnight it would bomb U.S. bases in Iraq if nuclear deal talks fall through. If it seems to you like the U.S. and Iran are caught in a permanent negotiation around nuclear enrichment, this journalist agrees with you.

As ever, the prospect of war in the Middle East has now led, again, to a surge in Brent Crude prices – the major benchmark which informs oil prices ex-U.S.

Brent 1D price chart a/a 12-6-25, 7.50AM WST. (TradingEconomics)

This is despite the fact that global oil production dynamics have changed, and that the Middle-East-conflict-moves-oil trope is based on the market retaining now irrelevant lessons from the 1970s oil crisis.

(That’s something I’ve written about before.)

At any rate, day traders keen to profit from what will be obvious volatility on Thursday’s session across energy would point out that Iraq is the largest OPEC oil producer after the Saudis, and that’s true.

Adding to the market belief that this situation could lead us to the Big Kahuna is that the U.S. has also since been making moves to empty its Iraqi embassy, suggesting the former country’s intelligence apparatus is expecting something.

Whether that actually eventuates or not remains to be seen, of course.

More market news

Forget U.S. tariff talk: Aussies just got a worrying signal from the ABS

Meet GeoGeorge: The HotCopper poster so accurate he got hired as an analyst

Then again, what are widely believed to be Iranian-backed militias, or any word you like more, have already been bombing U.S. bases across several locations in the Middle East for around a year now.

Join the discussion: See what’s trending right now on HotCopper, Australia’s largest stock forum, and be part of the conversations that move the markets.

The material provided in this article is for information only and should not be treated as investment advice. Viewers are encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with a certified financial advisor before making any investment decisions. For full disclaimer information, please click here.

More From The Market Online

Omega Oil & Gas inks ‘significant’ drilling contract with internationally renowned rig operator

Omega Oil & Gas is set to further test the world-class potential of the Taroom Trough…
The Market Online Video

The ASX Today: Something wicked this way comes as BBOZ jumps +3%; XJO sheds W9 gains

Greetings and welcome to HotCopper’s The ASX Today for Tuesday of Week 10, I’m Jon Davidson, and while on Monday it looked like we might actually

Goldarc Resources confirms new Leonora South gold discoveries

Goldarc Resources has confirmed new gold discoveries within the Leonora South gold project in Western Australia.
The Market Online Video

‘Puts us in a really strong position’: Placement to power Celsius Resources’ growth

Welcome to the latest HotCopper Watchlist interview, where we’ve spoken to Celsius Resources (ASX:CLA) executive director Neil Grimes to discuss the latest developments at its