Oil Prices Plummet Amid Stalled US-Iran Tensions
Oil prices plummeted by nearly 5% to reach a three-week low on Monday after US President Donald Trump announced he was holding off on a fresh attack on Iran.
Brent futures fell $4.19, or 4.8 percent, to $83.74 a barrel at 12:40 p.m. ET (1640 GMT), while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude fell $4.92, or 5.8 percent, to $79.75.
The decline in oil prices comes as the less expensive October futures contract is set to take over as the front-month after the more expensive September contract expired on Friday.
Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei contradicted Trump's claim of talks between the two countries, stating that there were no negotiations underway and no meetings scheduled.