Brent rebounds above US$106 as Iran-Hormuz standoff threatens oil flows

Brent crude soared above the US$106 mark on Monday as US President Donald Trump rejected Iran's latest offer to resume operations at the Strait of Hormuz. The move sparked worries that oil supply disruptions through the vital waterway might continue. Trump claimed Iran had overplayed its strength but expects talks to restart soon.

Iran, for its part, awaits a clear US response to its seven-day proposal to reopen the strait and additional demands, refusing to soften its stance following Trump's rejection. The ongoing uncertainty over the waterway, a crucial conduit for global energy transport, has unsettled oil markets and reversed some earlier session losses.

The latest twists also unfold amidst ongoing Middle Eastern tensions, including Saudi Arabia intercepting Houthi drones en route to Riyadh and a missile strike on Khamis Mushait in the south, where Saudi Aramco's energy installations are based. In the United States, Trump is contemplating a ban on diesel exports to curb surging domestic fuel prices, introducing another potential bottleneck to worldwide petroleum supplies.

The oil market's attention remains laser-focused on the Strait of Hormuz, with the outcome of US-Iran negotiations set to dictate whether disrupted flows can resume and how long supply risks will linger. In Malaysia, the US dollar was trading at RM4.0763 on Monday, up 0.05% from the prior session. The ringgit slipped 1.26% against the US dollar over the last four weeks but was 3.29% stronger over the past 12 months.

The US dollar's trajectory is also being shaped by expectations surrounding US interest rates, with investors eagerly awaiting key employment data and the Federal Reserve's preferred inflation metric, expected later in the week. Markets are now closely monitoring developments around the Strait of Hormuz and US-Iran negotiations for additional guidance on oil prices, energy supply concerns, and regional financial markets.