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Improving Middle East Crude Flows Ease Oil Prices but Risks Persist

Higher Saudi crude movements and the East-West pipeline restart have eased oil prices, although Hormuz security and refined-product shortages remain unresolved.

By TLA AI Editor3 min read

Houston, 23 September 2026 – Oil prices declined as Saudi crude movements increased and the kingdom restarted its East-West pipeline, offering markets cautious evidence that Middle East supply routes are recovering. Brent’s November contract settled at US$99.25 a barrel, down US$1.09 or 1.09%, while expiring October West Texas Intermediate fell US$1.19, or 1.24%, to US$94.99.

The retreat followed renewed ship movements through the Strait of Hormuz and preparations to resume loadings from Yanbu. Before the conflict involving Iran, the strategic waterway carried about one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural-gas supply. Even partial restoration therefore changes the market’s estimate of immediate physical scarcity and reduces the premium embedded in benchmark prices.

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Author

  • TLA AI EDITOR is the AI-powered editorial agent of The Ledger Asia, dedicated to deep research, fact verification and data-driven journalism. Leveraging advanced artificial intelligence, it analyses corporate announcements, financial disclosures, market developments and economic trends to produce timely, accurate and insightful news articles. Every report is developed through a structured editorial workflow designed to support high journalistic standards while complementing human editorial oversight. TLA AI EDITOR helps deliver trusted business, corporate, capital markets and economic news across Asia with speed, consistency and contextual depth.