Oil prices fell in early Asian trading on November 2 as Iranian and Qatari officials held a third consecutive day of talks aimed at ending the US–Israeli war on Iran. Brent was down $1.59, or 1.4%, at $111.84 a barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) fell $1.56, or 1.5%, to $102.56.
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The market response signaled reduced concern about an immediate escalation—not proof that the conflict or supply disruption was ending. Later reports showed prices falling further during the day, so the early-session figures should not be confused with later snapshots.
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Why the talks weighed on oil
Oil prices can reflect the risk that conflict will disrupt production or shipping, as well as current supply. The prospect of diplomatic progress offered traders some reassurance that further disruption might be avoided. Reporting also linked the decline to expectations that President Donald Trump wanted to give diplomacy more time before considering new strikes.
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The move came after a strong rise the previous week, with Brent ending October at its highest level in six months. That backdrop may have made prices more vulnerable to a pullback when immediate fears eased.
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Why the decline did not mean supply risks were gone
The talks were aimed at reaching an agreement; the early reports did not establish that one had been reached. Tensions around the Strait of Hormuz continued to weigh on the outlook for shipping and energy supplies.
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OPEC+ also kept its December production targets unchanged, according to reporting on the group’s decision. That was a separate supply-policy development, not evidence that disrupted shipments had resumed.
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What to take from the price move
The early-session decline is best read as a repricing of immediate risk: traders responded to the possibility of diplomatic progress, while uncertainty over the conflict and physical oil flows remained. Whether prices continue to fall depends on more than talks alone; a durable improvement would require clearer evidence that escalation risks and supply disruptions are easing.
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