US oil prices rise 3pc at open amid fears of Middle East escalation

Published March 19, 2026 Updated March 19, 2026 10:24am

The price of the main US benchmark for crude oil rose more than three per cent following strikes against energy infrastructure in Iran and Qatar, reports Reuters.

At around 2230 GMT, a few minutes after the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) reopened, the West Texas Intermediate (WTI) contract was up 3.15pc at $99.35 a barrel.

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