🔻Continued upward trend in oil prices; Brent reaches $97

With fighting continuing between Iran and the United States in the Persian Gulf, oil prices at the start of Monday rose further in East Asian markets.

Brent crude from the North Sea on Monday morning reached the $97 mark at $96.94, even as about 10 days ago—before the new round of military clashes between Iran and the U.S.—the price per barrel was about $86.