World oil prices returned to growth on Thursday after a sharp collapse the day before. Investors continue to closely monitor the development of the situation around a possible peaceful settlement of the conflict in the Middle East, assessing the chances of successful negotiations and their impact on the global energy market.

According to Reuters, Brent crude futures rose by 78 cents, or 0.8%. As a result, the cost of a barrel reached $ 102.05. At the same time, American West Texas Intermediate crude also showed growth - by 76 cents, or 0.8%, to $ 95.84 per barrel.

The day before, the market experienced a significant decline. On Wednesday, both key oil benchmarks lost more than 7% of their value and fell to their lowest levels in the past two weeks. The reason for this collapse was investors’ expectations about the possible end of the war in the Middle East, which could potentially reduce risks for global oil supplies.

However, the market later partially compensated for the losses after new statements from the US and Iran. US President Donald Trump noted that it is “too early” to talk about direct negotiations with Tehran. At the same time, one of the influential Iranian deputies stated that the American initiative is more like a list of wishes than a specific and realistic plan for settlement.

Nissan Securities Investment Chief Strategist Hiroyuki Kikukawa emphasized that the negotiation process is likely to continue at least until the summit between the US and China scheduled for next week. At the same time, he emphasized that further development of the situation remains difficult to predict due to a significant number of political risks and uncertainty about the positions of the parties.

US President Donald Trump is expected to meet with Chinese leader Xi Jinping next week. Investors see these negotiations as an important factor that can affect not only the geopolitical situation, but also the mood in the energy markets.

According to Kikukawa, the base scenario for the oil market currently assumes the preservation of high prices for raw materials. This is due to the fact that even if peace talks advance, the risks to the supply of energy carriers remain significant.

Meanwhile, Iran has officially confirmed that it is analyzing the American peace proposal. According to sources, the document provides for a formal end to the war, but does not address Washington's key demands. In particular, it concerns the curtailment of Iran's nuclear program and ensuring open shipping through the Strait of Hormuz - one of the most important oil transportation routes in the world.