Oil Prices Fall as Trump Considers Easing Sanctions on Shadow Fleet Tankers

Crude oil prices retreated from yesterday’s highs earlier today, on the news that President Trump was considering lifting sanctions on tankers used to transport oil and fuels from Venezuela, Russia, and Iran in a bid to ease a deepening tanker crunch. At the time of writing, Brent crude was trading at $104.39 per barrel, after earlier in the week it topped $106, while West Texas Intermediate was trading at $94.02 per barrel, after yesterday it climbed close to $96 per barrel. The war in the Persian Gulf has tightened the availability of tankers…