Oil Surpasses $100 a Barrel Amidst Middle East Attacks, Weakening Global Energy Markets Rapidly

The price of oil surpassed $100 a barrel for the first time in almost six weeks after attacks on oil facilities and ships in the Middle East threatened to debilitate an already weakened global energy market. The attack on the Abqaiq oil processing facility in Saudi Arabia was particularly devastating, as it could potentially reduce the kingdom's ability to process 7 million barrels of crude a day. This has led to concerns about the stability of oil supplies and potential disruptions to international trade. As a result, investors are selling their shares and taking cover in safe-haven assets such as gold.