A US military helicopter flies over the Panama-flagged Centuries, which was intercepted by the US Coast Guard days after President Donald Trump announced a 'blockade' of all sanctioned oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela. Reuters
A US military helicopter flies over the Panama-flagged Centuries, which was intercepted by the US Coast Guard days after President Donald Trump announced a 'blockade' of all sanctioned oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela. Reuters
A US military helicopter flies over the Panama-flagged Centuries, which was intercepted by the US Coast Guard days after President Donald Trump announced a 'blockade' of all sanctioned oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela. Reuters
A US military helicopter flies over the Panama-flagged Centuries, which was intercepted by the US Coast Guard days after President Donald Trump announced a 'blockade' of all sanctioned oil tankers ent

Oil headed for weekly gain after US strikes in Nigeria and Venezuela tension


Fareed Rahman
  • English
  • Arabic

Oil prices rose on Friday and were heading for their biggest weekly gain since late October, after the US carried out military strikes in Nigeria, a major oil producer.

Geopolitical tension between the US and Venezuela also stoked supply concerns.

Brent, the benchmark for two thirds of the world's oil, was up 0.32 per cent at 1.05pm UAE time at $62.44 a barrel, while West Texas Intermediate, the gauge that tracks US crude, was trading 0.45 per cent higher at $58.61.

"Crude oil has risen more than 3 per cent this week and is on track to give the best weekly performance since October," said Vijay Valecha, chief investment officer at Century Financial.

"Prices were supported by a further escalation in geopolitical tensions in Russia and Ukraine, after Kyiv struck the Novoshakhtinsk oil refinery on Thursday, which is a key supplier of diesel and jet fuel to Russian forces."

The US air strikes in Nigeria are also "raising short-term supply risks for the commodity, overshadowing concerns about an oversupplied market", Mr Valecha said.

The US on carried out military strikes against ISIS militants in north-west Nigeria, President Donald Trump said on X, accusing the group of targeting Christians in the region.

“The Department of War executed numerous perfect strikes, as only the United States is capable of doing,” Mr Trump said.

There have been no reports of obstructions to oil flows from Nigeria, an Opec member, but these strikes raise potential supply concerns. US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said on X that there was “more to come”.

Nigeria produced about 1.5 million barrels per day in November, according to Opec's monthly report. Its oilfields are mainly concentrated in the Niger Delta located in the south of the country.

Meanwhile, the continuing geopolitical tensions between the US and Venezuela, another Opec member, are also affecting oil prices. Last week, the US ordered a blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela, putting oil flowing out of the South American country at risk.

The US has seized two oil tankers off the Venezuelan coast this month as the Trump administration continues to put pressure on President Nicolas Maduro and his government.

Mr Trump said the US will keep or sell the crude it has seized. The US is also pursuing a third Venezuelan oil tanker.

Venezuela produces 1.1 million barrels of oil a day, with most of it going to China and India, according to Rystad Energy analysis.

Oil prices are on course for their steepest annual decline since 2020 amid oversupply concerns as Opec+ boosts production amid plans to regain market share.

The US economy also grew at a surprisingly strong 4.3 per cent annualised rate in the third quarter, the fastest expansion in two years, supporting oil prices.

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RESULT

Kolkata Knight Riders 169-7 (20 ovs)
Rajasthan Royals 144-4 (20 ovs)

Kolkata win by 25 runs

Next match

Sunrisers Hyderabad v Kolkata Knight Riders, Friday, 5.30pm

Updated: December 26, 2025, 9:29 AM