Shell plcRising oil prices and geopolitical tensions benefit Shell's upstream operations.

Oil prices crossed back over $100 per barrel on Wednesday for the first time since July, driven by escalating geopolitical tensions. US Central Command struck five Iranian crude oil tankers, the second such attack in two days, while Houthi attacks in Saudi Arabia and the Russia-Ukraine war also threaten supply. Although crude oil is still flowing through pipelines and dark transfers, with Strait of Hormuz volumes at two-thirds of pre-war levels, refineries are already running near capacity, and Ukrainian strikes on Russian refineries have cut into diesel exports. As a result, US gasoline prices hit all-time highs for Labor Day, and diesel prices are approaching $6 for the first time ever. The impact on consumers could be twofold: higher inflation may push the Fed to hike rates, and consumers may adapt by reducing travel and spending.
Shell plcRising oil prices and geopolitical tensions benefit Shell's upstream operations.