Oil Prices Skyrocket Amid Middle East Tensions
Brent oil prices surged to their highest level since May on Thursday after increased fighting in the Middle East threatened to slow global crude flows.
The price of a barrel of Brent crude oil jumped 7% to settle at $100.69, with oil tankers attacked in the Red Sea sparking concerns about another major shipping route being disrupted.
Rising oil prices are expected to worsen inflation, which had just begun to decelerate, and could prompt central banks to raise interest rates, slowing economies and undercutting stock prices.