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Saudi Arabia Restores Major Oil Pipeline After Recent Attacks, Will Prices Drop?

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Saudi Arabia Restores Major Oil Pipeline After Recent Attacks, Will Prices Drop?

Saudi Arabia’s energy ministry confirmed on April 12 that it had restored full pumping capacity on its East-West pipeline, returning throughput to approximately 7 million barrels per day after attacks earlier this month cut output.

The recovery comes as US-Iran peace talks in Islamabad collapsed without an agreement, leaving energy markets facing renewed uncertainty ahead of Monday’s open.

What Happened to Saudi Oil Infrastructure

Recent attacks during the US-Iran war disrupted an estimated 600,000 barrels per day of Saudi production. The Manifa field lost approximately 300,000 bpd, and the Khurais field saw a similar reduction. Moreover, it also cut East-West pipeline throughput by 700,000 bpd.

“An official source at the Ministry of Energy stated that important energy facilities in the Kingdom have recently been subjected to multiple attacks, including oil and gas production, transportation, and refining facilities, as well as petrochemical facilities and the electricity sector in Riyadh, the Eastern Province, and Yanbu Industrial City,” the officials wrote.

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The energy ministry stopped short of naming the attacker directly, though Riyadh has been intercepting waves of Iranian drones and missiles throughout the war. JPMorgan analysts estimated the combined damage at roughly 10% of Saudi Arabia’s pre-conflict crude exports, noting it represented a “measurable supply shock.” 

In a recent update, the energy ministry said the East–West pipeline and Manifa output have been restored. However, work on the Khurais field is still underway and will be announced upon completion.

“Ministry of Energy announced the success of operational and technical efforts in restoring the full pumping capacity through the East–West pipeline, amounting to approximately seven million barrels per day, and recovering the affected volumes from the Manifa field production of around 300,000 barrels per day, all within a short period of time,” the press release read. “With regard to the Khurais field, work is still ongoing to restore full production capacity, and this will be announced upon completion.”

The ministry added that Aramco’s rapid restoration demonstrated its “high operational resilience and crisis management efficiency.”

US Iran Failed Talks Add Pressure to Monday’s Open

The pipeline fix landed hours after Vice President JD Vance confirmed that 21 hours of negotiations with Iran in Islamabad produced no deal. The two sides are still divided on key issues, including the Strait of Hormuz and Iran’s nuclear program.

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The strait normally carries approximately 20% of global seaborne oil. The International Energy Agency has called the disruption the largest supply shock in the history of the global oil market. 

Oil prices have surged since the conflict began in late February. The conflict has also rattled food, aluminum, and liquefied natural gas markets

Saudi Arabia’s partial recovery helps, but it cannot replace the full volume lost from the Hormuz disruption. Monday’s market opening will test whether the pipeline restoration can offset the diplomatic failure in Islamabad.

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Geopolitical risk pushes Bitcoin under $71K amid US-Iran tensions

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Crypto Breaking News

Bitcoin fell below $71,000 on Sunday as talks between the United States and Iran stalled, underscoring how geopolitical tensions are seeping into crypto markets even as traders weigh liquidity and inflation factors. Data from TradingView showed BTC trading under the key threshold as a weekly close approached, highlighting the asset’s sensitivity to the ebb and flow of risk appetite amid flare-ups in the Strait of Hormuz and diplomatic deadlock.

Key points:

  • BTC softens after news that US–Iran negotiations in Islamabad broke down, reviving risk-off pressure.
  • US threats to reopen and police the Strait of Hormuz amplified concerns about energy prices and inflation dynamics.
  • Bitcoin-long positions faced notable liquidations, signaling renewed volatility in the immediate term.

Diplomatic setback reverberates through crypto markets

In the wake of stalled talks aimed at curbing Iran’s nuclear ambitions, negotiations between the US and Iran were left unfinished as delegations left Islamabad without an agreement. The breakdown coincided with President Donald Trump’s explicit threat to blockade the Strait of Hormuz and to interdict vessels that pay for passage, a move that would directly affect global oil flows and prices. Trump later amplified the stance via Truth Social, reiterating calls for fully operational transit through Hormuz.

The geopolitical headline set the stage for a broader market assessment: if the conflict escalates or oil supply becomes more constrained, inflation pressures could intensify and complicate the policy path for central banks. The Kobeissi Letter, a market commentary that authors follow closely on X, framed the immediate macro risk thus: “If the path forward is continued war, escalation, and a prolonged closure of the Strait of Hormuz, then the Iran War has just entered a new era.” The note further tied inflation dynamics to energy prices, warning that CPI inflation could spike higher if geopolitical tensions persist.

Meanwhile, financial markets prepared for a stream of inflation data and policy commentary. The March CPI print had shown a notable jump in inflationary pressures, though the month’s headline figure landed slightly below consensus expectations; what mattered more for markets was the oil-price component’s surprise surge—the strongest in six decades—within the CPI release. Analysts argued that a sustained rise in energy costs could sustain higher inflation readings, complicating the Federal Reserve’s balancing act between taming inflation and supporting growth.

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Against this backdrop, market participants questioned whether the escalation would push policymakers toward stimulus or liquidity measures if risk assets continued to wobble. On X, veteran trader Michaël van de Poppe argued that a longer flare-up in the Iran situation would likely hamper risk-on assets, prompting discussions about possible Fed intervention. He suggested that a weak economy could force the central bank to reassert its unconventional toolkit, potentially rekindling the liquidity wagon that has historically buoyed risky assets during periods of stress.

Bitcoin liquidity metrics echo renewed volatility

Bitcoin’s price reaction unfolded as a mixed bag of risk signals and technical pressure. In the lead-up to the opening of futures markets, BTC’s move below $71,000 represented a retreat from recent highs and highlighted a potential trigger for late-long positions to unwind. Market data from CoinGlass indicated heightened volatility, with long liquidations climbing toward the $350 million mark over the preceding 24 hours. The liquidation heat map pointed to a tremor in speculative bets as traders repositioned in response to a shifting macro and geopolitical backdrop.

For traders, the impulse to seek safer harbors clashed with the crypto market’s own risk profile. Crypto traders often respond quickly to macro headlines because crypto markets are still highly sensitive to liquidity conditions and the stance of global financial policy. The latest data underscored that even a single, loud geopolitical cue can cascade into material downside pressure for long positions, especially when paired with concerns about energy prices and inflation expectations.

“Volatility remains high, and there won’t be a path forward where risk-on assets perform well if this remains the consensus,” wrote a notable market observer in response to the current environment.

Those who watch the broader macro canvas note an emerging tension: a weaker real economy could prompt a renewed dose of monetary accommodation, which historically has supported risk assets in the short term but could complicate inflation trajectories over the longer horizon. The question traders are tracking is whether the Fed and other major central banks will lean into more expansive policy if geopolitical risk sustains its grip on markets, or if tighter financial conditions will reassert themselves as inflation drivers remain in focus.

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Inflation risk, policy expectations, and what comes next

Beyond the immediate price action, the narrative around inflation and policy remains central to crypto’s risk-reward calculus. The March CPI data had shown a notable oil-price component spike, underscoring how energy dynamics can tilt inflation readings and, by extension, central-bank guidance. Kobeissi’s analysis linked these dynamics to the Iran scenario, arguing that a protracted conflict could push inflation higher, potentially prompting renewed monetary support or liquidity measures to cushion real-economy weakness.

Looking ahead, investors will be watching the upcoming suite of inflation indicators, including the March Producer Price Index (PPI) release, for signals about the breadth of price pressures. Additionally, speeches from senior Federal Reserve officials will likely frame the near-term policy outlook more clearly. In that context, Bitcoin and other crypto assets could continue to act as a barometer for how traders interpret the risk of policy missteps amid geopolitical stress and energy-price volatility.

What to watch next

The immediate focus remains on how geopolitical tensions evolve and what that means for energy markets, inflation, and central-bank responses. If talks resume or a de-escalation path emerges, crypto traders could reassess risk appetites, potentially stabilizing prices as liquidity conditions normalize. Conversely, further escalation—whether through renewed sanctions, renewed missile rhetoric, or supply-chain disruptions in energy markets—could keep volatility elevated and drive continued attention on liquidity dynamics and macro forecasts.

Investors should also monitor how long the current risk-off mood persists and whether the market receives a clearer signal from policy makers about their tolerance for inflation versus economic growth trade-offs. The next few weeks promise to be data-rich, and the balance of macro signals—oil prices, inflation readings, and central-bank communications—will likely set the tone for Bitcoin and broader crypto markets as they navigate a geopolitically unsettled environment.

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This editorial summary reflects observed market reactions and publicly available data points from TradingView, CoinGlass, and market commentary circulating around the geopolitical narrative surrounding US–Iran tensions and Hormuz-related risks. As always, readers should perform their own due diligence and consider multiple scenarios as the macro landscape evolves.

Next up, traders will scrutinize inflation trajectories and policy guidance to assess whether crypto assets gain or lose traction in a macro environment increasingly shaped by energy prices and geopolitical risk.

Risk & affiliate notice: Crypto assets are volatile and capital is at risk. This article may contain affiliate links. Read full disclosure

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Iran War Fallout Will Muddy the Rest of 2026 for Asset Markets: Analyst

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Bitcoin Price

Now almost a week old, the Bitcoin (BTC) recovery is “fragile” as the crypto market faces geopolitical and macroeconomic headwinds from the ongoing war in the Middle East, according to Nic Puckrin, a crypto market analyst and founder of the CoinBureau media outlet.

“Even if the war ends now, its repercussions will likely be the story of 2026, and certainly the dominant narrative for Q2. I don’t expect to see a rate cut until late Q3 or Q4, if at all,” Puckrin told Cointelegraph. He said that he sees: 

“For a push toward $90,000, we would need to see a combination of factors: a ceasefire that results in the end of geopolitical tensions, a sustained drop in oil prices toward $80, and ideally also softer-than-expected economic data that calms stagflation fears.”

If Bitcoin closes the week above $71,000, it could signal continued upside for BTC, with resistance forming around the $74,000 level, he said. At last look, it was trading at about $71,276, according to TradingView data.

Bitcoin Price
BTC faces resistance at the $74,000 level and continues to trade below its 200-day exponential moving average. Source: TradingView

The ongoing conflict has caused an inflationary spike, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Consumer Price Index report, published on Friday, chilling hopes of further interest rate cuts in 2026. Rate cuts or credit easing tend to stimulate asset prices.

Related: Bitcoin, Ether near levels that could signal trend reversal: Analyst

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Bitcoin stumbles as Iran negotiations fail and US President threatens major escalation

Bitcoin surged by about 5.8% beginning on April 6, reaching above $73,000, before retracing to about $71,000 on April 11, following news of failed negotiations between the US and Iran, according to the Kobeissi Letter.

“Peace talks appear to have come to a screeching halt,” Kobeissi Letter said, adding, “the outcome of talks was arguably the worst-case scenario.”

Following the failed peace talks, US President Donald Trump said he directed the US military to form a naval blockade around the Strait of Hormuz.

“I have also instructed our Navy to seek and interdict every vessel in international waters that has paid a toll to Iran. No one who pays an illegal toll will have safe passage on the high seas,” Trump said on Saturday.

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Bitcoin Price
Source: Donald Trump

Members of the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC), which decides interest rate policy in the US, remain divided on further interest rate cuts in 2026, citing inflation concerns from the war.

The FOMC did not rule out an interest rate hike in 2026 if inflation remains elevated above its 2% target, according to the meeting minutes from the March FOMC meeting.

According to the CME Fedwatch tool, there is more than a 98% probability of the FOMC maintaining the current target rate range of 350-375 basis points at the next two meetings, on April 29 and June 17. Chances drop to about 65% for the July 29 meeting, with a 33.6% probability of a 25-bps cut.

Magazine: Big Questions: Can Bitcoin save you from the dreaded Cantillon Effect?