The accident in the Suez Canal has raised oil prices

Oil prices rose about six percent on Wednesday, and the price of Brent oil briefly reached nearly $ 64.50 a barrel. Problems in the Suez Canal, one of the most important shipping routes, have contributed to the sharp rise in prices after Tuesday's slump. The price of the Brent North Sea oil mixture with delivery in May reached USD 64.13 (EUR 54.23) per barrel. Compared to the previous deadline, this represents an increase of $ 3.34 (5.49%). It jumped more than six percent to $ 64.48 a barrel. The price of American light oil WTI reached 60.91 USD / barrel. Compared to the previous closing date, this means an increase of USD 3.15 or 5.45 percent. During trading, it increased by six percent to 61.25 USD / barrel. The turnaround took place after Tuesday's drop in oil prices by about six percent, which thus reached its lowest level since February. On that day, the markets responded mainly to concerns about the renewed increase in the number of new coronavirus infections in Europe and the tightening of measures in individual countries. On Wednesday, however, the development of prices was influenced by an accident in the Suez Canal, where on Tuesday one of the container ships hit the shallows in bad weather and blocked one of the most important shipping routes. The canal is key to the transport of goods between Europe and Asia and, in addition, an important route for the transport of energy from the Middle East to Europe and the United States. Problems in the canal have affected the voyages of more than 20 oil tankers, as well as several liquefied gas ships.