English Title:
Oil prices retreat as investors weigh supply outlook, Middle East tensions

中文标题：
石油价格因投资者权衡供应前景而回落,中东紧张局势

English Content:
By Sam Li and Trixie Yap Oct 15 (Reuters) - Oil prices fell more than 1% on Thursday as investors weighed risks to supply from attacks on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz against US efforts to cut petroleum shipping costs by easing sanctions on vessels. Brent crude futures fell $1.64, or 1.6%, to $104.42 a barrel by 0337 GMT, while US West Texas Intermediate crude futures were down 98 cents, or 1%, to $94.11, reversing gains from the previous session. WTI rose to a three-week high in the prior session after the Houthis attacked Saudi Aramco's headquarters and Iran said it was deploying new tactics to target ships in the Strait of Hormuz and keep oil prices high. A container ship and a dry bulk carrier both sank near the strait in the past 24 hours after being hit by projectiles in separate incidents, maritime officials said on Wednesday. Attacks around the waterway have surged over the past 10 days, with Iran saying it is stepping up strikes in response to the US blockade of its ports and tougher sanctions introduced last month. With the Iran war having disrupted shipping and driven up freight costs to record highs, the Trump administration is considering easing sanctions on so-called shadow-fleet vessels that have transported oil and petroleum products from countries including Russia, Iran and Venezuela to help ease prices, a US official said on Wednesday. The new talks centre on the United States potentially allowing "legal oil" to flow on previously sanctioned vessels, the US official said. Increased output from Russia and the Middle East has kept a lid on prices. Russia's crude oil production rose by 65,000 barrels per day in September to 8.43 million bpd but remained down 870,000 bpd year over year, the International Energy Agency said on Wednesday. The IEA also said crude oil exports from Middle East Gulf producers rose by 4.4 million bpd in September to around 75% of prewar levels. "While there is little concrete evidence of a near-term peace deal, oil continues to find its way to buyers through alternative routes and logistical arrangements," said Phillip Nova's head of market insights, Priyanka Sachdeva, in a client note. "These workarounds have helped prevent a more severe supply shock, although they come at a higher cost and leave global flows vulnerable to further disruption." In the US, crude oil and distillate inventories fell, while gasoline stocks rose last week, market sources said on Wednesday, citing data from the American Petroleum Institute.

中文正文：
Sam Li和Trixie Yap October 15(路透社)指出, 星期四油价下跌超过1%, 投资者权衡了通过霍尔木兹海峡的航运受到袭击所带来的供应风险, 布伦特原油期货下跌1.64美元,即1.6%,到0337格林尼治标准时每桶跌至104.42美元,而美国西德州中期原油期货下跌98美分,即1%,跌至94.11美元,逆转了上届会议的收益. 在Houthis袭击沙特石油公司总部之后,WTI在上届会议上上升到三周的高点,伊朗说,它正在部署新的战术,以霍尔穆兹海峡的船只为目标,使石油价格居高不下。 海事官员星期三说,在过去24小时里,一艘集装箱船和一艘干散装货船都在海峡附近沉没。 过去十天里, 水道周围的袭击激增, 伊朗说, 由于伊朗战争扰乱了航运,使运费攀升创纪录,特朗普政府正在考虑放宽对 一位美国官员星期三说, 新会谈以美国为中心, 俄罗斯和中东产出的增加使价格保持低迷。 国际能源机构星期三说,俄罗斯的原油产量在9月份每天增加65,000桶,达到843万桶,但年均下降87万桶。 国际能源机构还说,9月,中东湾生产商的原油出口增加了440万桶,达到战前水平的75%左右。 “虽然没有多少具体证据证明近期的和平协议, 石油继续通过另类路线和后勤安排, "这些变通办法帮助防止了更严重的供应冲击,尽管它们成本较高,使得全球流动容易受到进一步干扰". 在美国,原油和蒸馏油库存减少 上周汽油库存上升, 市场来源星期三说.