Oil at 52-Week High: Can Trump Stop the March to $100?
U.S. crude oil futures (WTI) ignited on Thursday, surging 8.5% to settle near $81 per barrel, its highest level since July 2024. This spike comes as investors price in a "long-war" scenario in the Middle East, with Brent crude also breaking above the $85 mark. The market is currently grappling with a "Strait of Hormuz premium," as prediction-market odds of a closure hit an all-time high of 86%.
Would supply squeeze push crude above $100?
Or will a potential SPR release force a "gap fill" back toward $73?