Oil Steadies as Trump Gives Two Weeks for Iran Strike Decision

Oil edged higher, paring earlier gains, after the White House said President Donald Trump would decide within two weeks whether to strike Iran, reducing speculation that the US would plunge into the conflict imminently.

West Texas Intermediate’s more-active August futures were up 0.5% to around $74 a barrel after White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt made the comments on Trump’s timeline for the decision at a White House press briefing. The contract had approached $76 earlier in the session on reports that senior US officials had said the administration was preparing for a possible strike on Iran in the coming days.