The Japan Times - Oil eases on hopes for Strait of Hormuz passage

As the Middle East war entered its third week, most European stocks climbed while Asian stocks mainly fell.

International benchmark Brent North Sea crude was up just 0.1 percent -- after rising about three percent earlier in the day -- and the main US contract West Texas Intermediate shed more than one percent.

That came as a non-Iranian oil tanker transited the Strait of Hormuz with its automatic transponder system activated, despite major disruption to shipping in the crucial waterway, according to monitor Marine Traffic.

US President Donald Trump piled pressure on world powers over the weekend to help reopen the vital shipping lane choked off by Iranian attacks.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said London was working with allies to come up with a "viable" plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has declared closed to US and US-allied traffic.

Germany meanwhile said the war in the Middle East, started by US-Israeli strikes on Iran, has "nothing to do with NATO.

"The situation is not close to being resolved but investors seem reassured by signs of action," said AJ Bell investment director Russ Mould.

The London, Paris and Frankfurt stock markets rose on Monday, but analysts warned that market sentiment remained fragile.

In Asia, Tokyo and Shanghai closed lower, while Hong Kong rose.

During Asian trading hours, crude had climbed further above $100 a barrel after attacks on oil infrastructure on the UAE's east coast and strikes on Iran's Kharg Island.

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told CBS his country was not interested in talks with Washington, but was ready to speak to countries about safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz.

The two sides continued to exchange fire Monday, with Saudi Arabia saying it had intercepted more than 60 drones since midnight, while flights were temporarily suspended at Dubai's airport after a "drone-related incident" sparked a fire nearby.

Traders' attention will turn this week to policy meetings of major central banks including the US Federal Reserve, Bank of England, the European Central Bank and the Bank of Japan.

While they are expected to stand pat on interest rates, any remarks on the impact of the war and rising energy prices on their respective economies will be closely followed.

"Investors want to hear what the world’s central bankers think about a potential inflation shock and a prolonged energy crisis and how this feeds into their future decision making," said Kathleen Brooks, research director at trading group XTB.

Japan said Monday it was beginning to release strategic oil reserves, after International Energy Agency members agreed last week to tap oil stockpiles to cushion the surge in prices caused by the war.

"The impact of geopolitical events on markets, and the macro outlook, hinges more on when transits through the Strait of Hormuz begin to normalise, than it does on when hostilities come to an end," wrote Michael Brown at Pepperstone.

- Key figures at around 1140 GMT -

West Texas Intermediate: DOWN 1.6 percent at $97.11 per barrel

Brent North Sea Crude: UP 0.1 percent at $103.22 per barrel

London - FTSE 100: UP 0.5 percent at 10,312.48 points

Paris - CAC 40: UP 0.1 percent at 7,917.24

Frankfurt - DAX: UP 0.3 percent at 23,522.84

Tokyo - Nikkei 225: DOWN 0.1 percent at 53,751.15 (close)

Hong Kong - Hang Seng Index: UP 1.5 percent at 25,834.02 (close)

Shanghai - Composite: DOWN 0.3 percent at 4,084.79 (close)

New York - Dow: DOWN 0.3 percent at 46,558.47 points (close)

Euro/dollar: UP at $1.1488 from $1.1416 on Friday

Pound/dollar: UP at $1.3282 from $1.3223

Dollar/yen: DOWN at 159.10 yen from 159.74 yen

Euro/pound: UP at 86.49 pence from 86.33 pence

K.Abe--JT