Oil rebounds as postponed U.S.-Iran talks temper optimism over ceasefire progress
With immediate supply fears fading and tanker traffic returning to the Strait of Hormuz, traders are turning their attention back to oil demand and OPEC's outlook for the market.
Oil was in choppy trade on Friday after follow-up talks between the U.S. and Iran in Switzerland were called off, underscoring lingering uncertainty over efforts to turn an interim agreement into a lasting peace settlement.
International benchmark Brent crude futures for August were 0.6% higher at $80.33 a barrel while U.S. West Texas Intermediate futures for July gained 1.63% to $77.85 per barrel, reversing earlier losses.
Switzerland's foreign ministry said U.S.-Iran talks scheduled to take place at Bürgenstock on Friday would not proceed as planned.
The White House also said that Vice President JD Vance was no longer traveling to Switzerland, citing unresolved logistical issues surrounding the negotiations.
Vance on Thursday said tankers with more than 12 million barrels crossed the strait overnight.
"The Iranians, for the second night in a row, did not shoot at any ships in the Strait of Hormuz," Vance told reporters. "So far, they are honoring their end of the commitment."
Separately, OPEC Secretary General Haitham Al Ghais told CNBC in an exclusive interview that the organization does not expect oil demand to peak in the foreseeable future. He also rejected forecasts from the International Energy Agency that point to a future supply glut.

"[We focus] on fundamentals and not putting many ifs and buts in our forecasts, but rather focusing on actual numbers," he said.
Oil prices are likely to trade between $75 and $82 a barrel in the near term, with Brent roughly down 36% from its peak during the conflict, Tiago Lacerda, a market analyst at Axi, told CNBC in an email.
"Attention shifts quickly to whether the physical reopening actually follows major shipping lines have yet to resume transits and insurance rates remain elevated, suggesting the market is cautious about the speed of normalization," Lacerda said.
— CNBC's Spencer Kimball contributed to the report.
Tfoso