{
  "id": 9717703,
  "title": "Oil eases after Houthi attack drives crude above $106",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/25/oil-eases-after-houthi-attack-drives-crude-above-106",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-09-25T05:35:16.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Gulf News",
    "slug": "gulf-news",
    "url": "https://gulfnews.com/business/energy/oil-eases-after-houthi-attack-drives-crude-above-106-1.500687208"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Oil prices saw a decline in Asian trading on Friday following a Houthi missile attack on Saudi Arabia, which caused Brent crude to surpass $106 a barrel overnight, sparking concerns about potential disruptions to Middle East supplies. Despite the attack, crude remained elevated as traders weighed the fresh security risks against reports of Washington and Tehran discussing a phased agreement aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz. At 1:18 pm Beijing time on September 25, Brent crude was trading at $105.50 a barrel, down 0.99%, from its previous level of $106.60 on Thursday. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude fell 1.66% to $93.04 a barrel. The market witnessed a brief dip as Iran and the United States resumed diplomatic communication, albeit off the record, amidst the ongoing UN General Assembly. The Houthi strike had revived supply fears, with oil prices soaring by up to 5% during that session before retreating from their peak levels. Brent crude had reached its highest settlement since September 15, while WTI had ended a six-day losing streak, which had resulted in a 13% drop. The market's pullback reflected a cautious optimism over indirect US-Iran diplomacy underway in New York. Sources familiar with the talks hinted at a potential off-ramp, whereby Iran would reopen the Strait of Hormuz, and the United States would lift its economic and naval blockade on Iran. However, no definitive deal had been reached yet, and significant differences remained between the two nations. Tehran was looking to alleviate the economic pressures caused by the blockade, while Washington sought unequivocal freedom of commercial shipping through Hormuz, the vital maritime passage that accounted for roughly one-fifth of global oil supplies prior to the conflict that began in late February. Oil prices had slipped below the $100 mark as Saudi supply recovery and the prospects of diplomatic progress in Iran encouraged optimism.",
  "summary": "Oil prices retreated in Asian trading Friday after a Houthi missile attack on Saudi Arabia sent Brent above $106 a barrel overnight, reviving fears of disruptions to Middle East supplies. Crude remained elevated as traders weighed fresh security risks against reports that Washington and Tehran are exploring a phased agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. At 1:18 pm Beijing time on Sept. 25,…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}