Oil Traders Rush to Hedge Iran Risk After Wild Start to Year

Feb. 21, 2026, 12:00 PM UTC

The oil market is in the middle of its strongest start to a year since 2022 as supply shocks and sanctions confound expectations of a glut. Now traders are racing to cover themselves against the prospect of the US bombing Iran again.

A surge in activity across futures and options markets is already pulling up crude prices — Brent futures touched a seven-month high of more than $72 a barrel on Friday, and some analysts see a risk premium of as much as $10.

The rally — Brent is up about 18% since the end of last year — represents ...

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