Oil slips below $100 but remains volatile as Trump’s UN remarks dampen optimism over Saudi Arabia resuming Yanbu operations and East-West pipeline restart

Oil prices fluctuated as Saudi Arabia prepared to restart its East-West pipeline, while traders watched diplomatic developments around efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Brent crude briefly fell below $98 a barrel on hopes of US-Iran talks and resumed Saudi exports, before recovering some losses after US President Donald Trump’s UN speech. Brent stood at $99.66 a barrel at press time.