Oil rose modestly on Monday as traders searched for a fresh catalyst. Israel launched a new round of strikes on Lebanon and the US may impose fresh sanctions on Iran, heightening geopolitical uncertainty. Capital.com senior analyst Kyle Rodda said geopolitical uncertainty remains the largest downside risk to markets, intermittently weighing on sentiment despite relatively limited regional military activity and lower peripheral volatility. Fighting around Iran could further complicate stalled US‑

2026-08-17

Oil rose modestly on Monday as traders searched for a fresh catalyst. Israel launched a new round of strikes on Lebanon and the US may impose fresh sanctions on Iran, heightening geopolitical uncertainty. Capital.com senior analyst Kyle Rodda said geopolitical uncertainty remains the largest downside risk to markets, intermittently weighing on sentiment despite relatively limited regional military activity and lower peripheral volatility. Fighting around Iran could further complicate stalled US‑Iran talks; both sides appear ready to formally end the ceasefire, but there has been no clear progress on the Strait of Hormuz and the US is preparing an "economic isolation" plan.