{
    "title": "Oil prices rise above 100 USD",
    "modified_at": "2026-04-23 09:03:28",
    "published_at": "2026-04-23 09:17:00",
    "url": "https://www.belganewsagency.eu/oil-prices-rise-above-100-usd",
    "short_url": "http://prez.ly/Q6Dd",
    "culture": "en_BE",
    "language": "EN",
    "slug": "oil-prices-rise-above-100-usd",
    "body": "<p style=\"text-align: left\"><strong>Oil prices have risen above 100 USD per barrel, driven by continued tensions in the Middle East and the ongoing closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Markets are also awaiting potential new negotiations between the United States and Iran.</strong></p><p style=\"text-align: left\">A barrel of Brent crude rose by more than 1 per cent to 102.84 USD, while US WTI crude gained a similar margin to nearly 94 USD. Prices have now increased for three consecutive days, with Brent climbing by almost 7 USD since the start of the week.</p><p style=\"text-align: left\">Analysts warn that the longer oil shipments remain disrupted through the Strait of Hormuz, the greater the upward pressure on prices. Iran has kept the strategic passage closed following the US-Israeli attack on the country, tightening global supply and fuelling uncertainty.</p><h4 id=\"belgium-responds-with-targeted-energy-measures\" >Belgium responds with targeted energy measures</h4><p style=\"text-align: left\">In response, yesterday the Belgian federal government agreed on a temporary <a href=\"https://www.belganewsagency.eu/belgium-agrees-80m-energy-support-package\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">80 million EUR support package</a> to help cushion the impact of rising energy costs. The measures, spread over the coming months, focus on supporting vulnerable households with heating expenses and easing commuting costs through incentives such as higher mileage allowances. The government has also delayed a planned increase in energy duties, as it seeks to limit the economic fallout from sustained high oil prices.</p><p style=\"text-align: left\"><sup><br>\u200b&copy; PHOTO ARIS OIKONOMOU / HANS LUCAS VIA AFP</sup></p><hr /><p><strong>Related news</strong></p><div id=\"bookmark-a18dffec-1f8a-458b-9d51-512f30eaebbb\"\n     class=\"release-content-bookmark release-content-bookmark--horizontal\">\n\n            <a class=\"release-content-bookmark__thumbnail\"\n           href=\"https://www.belganewsagency.eu/belgian-firms-question-energy-support-plan\"\n           rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\n           target=\"_blank\"           style=\"background-image: url(https://prezly.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.uc.assets.prezly.com%2Fc583615d-c274-42c9-8ceb-c9888c60f1f6%2F-%2Fpreview%2F600x600%2F?ar=1%3A1&amp;fit=crop&amp;s=b3f6a9d9c78ff51265b84c32bbd4ef33)\"\n        ></a>\n    \n    <div class=\"release-content-bookmark__details\">\n\n                    <a class=\"release-content-bookmark__title\"\n               href=\"https://www.belganewsagency.eu/belgian-firms-question-energy-support-plan\"\n               rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\n               target=\"_blank\"               data-type=\"bookmark\"\n               data-track=\"Story WebBookmark Click\"\n               data-placement=\"content\"\n               data-id=\"a18dffec-1f8a-458b-9d51-512f30eaebbb\"\n           >\n                Businesses question energy support plan            </a>\n        \n                    <div class=\"release-content-bookmark__description\">\n                Belgium\u2019s new 80 million euro energy support package has drawn mixed reactions from business groups, with concerns over costs for employers...            </div>\n        \n        <a href=\"https://www.belganewsagency.eu/\"\n           target=\"_blank\"\n           rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"\n           class=\"release-content-bookmark__provider\"\n        >\n            <img class=\"release-content-bookmark__provider-icon\" src=\"https://avatars.prezly.com/favicon?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.belganewsagency.eu%2Fbelgian-firms-question-energy-support-plan&newsroom=6b71e247-a9ba-4732-aaa3-88be14c119db\" aria-hidden=\"true\" />\n            belganewsagency.eu        </a>\n    </div>\n</div>\n<div id=\"bookmark-86d505bf-6d26-4a28-a110-9b76e7091927\"\n     class=\"release-content-bookmark release-content-bookmark--horizontal\">\n\n            <a class=\"release-content-bookmark__thumbnail\"\n           href=\"https://www.belganewsagency.eu/iran-claims-seizure-of-two-cargo-ships-as-strait-of-hormuz-blockade-drags-on\"\n           rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\n           target=\"_blank\"           style=\"background-image: url(https://prezly.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.uc.assets.prezly.com%2F1262a077-f908-4b81-bb74-4bd4eaea859c%2F-%2Fpreview%2F600x600%2F?ar=1%3A1&amp;fit=crop&amp;s=5c948181c508f3f4d9a752594ff92c2f)\"\n        ></a>\n    \n    <div class=\"release-content-bookmark__details\">\n\n                    <a class=\"release-content-bookmark__title\"\n               href=\"https://www.belganewsagency.eu/iran-claims-seizure-of-two-cargo-ships-as-strait-of-hormuz-blockade-drags-on\"\n               rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\n               target=\"_blank\"               data-type=\"bookmark\"\n               data-track=\"Story WebBookmark Click\"\n               data-placement=\"content\"\n               data-id=\"86d505bf-6d26-4a28-a110-9b76e7091927\"\n           >\n                Iran claims seizure of two cargo ships as Strait of Hormuz blockade drags on            </a>\n        \n                    <div class=\"release-content-bookmark__description\">\n                Iran shot at and seized several cargo ships in the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday, state media reported. The Iranian media claim the vessels were...            </div>\n        \n        <a href=\"https://www.belganewsagency.eu/\"\n           target=\"_blank\"\n           rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"\n           class=\"release-content-bookmark__provider\"\n        >\n            <img class=\"release-content-bookmark__provider-icon\" src=\"https://avatars.prezly.com/favicon?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.belganewsagency.eu%2Firan-claims-seizure-of-two-cargo-ships-as-strait-of-hormuz-blockade-drags-on&newsroom=6b71e247-a9ba-4732-aaa3-88be14c119db\" aria-hidden=\"true\" />\n            belganewsagency.eu        </a>\n    </div>\n</div>\n<p>&nbsp;</p>",
    "header": {
        "large": "https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/98682b49-d6c9-478f-8e15-df5e1e9af2a2/-/preview/1200x1200/-/format/auto/",
        "release": "https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/98682b49-d6c9-478f-8e15-df5e1e9af2a2/-/preview/1200x1200/-/format/auto/"
    },
    "links": [
        {
            "description": "Businesses question energy support plan",
            "url": "https://www.belganewsagency.eu/belgian-firms-question-energy-support-plan"
        },
        {
            "description": "Iran claims seizure of two cargo ships as Strait of Hormuz blockade drags on",
            "url": "https://www.belganewsagency.eu/iran-claims-seizure-of-two-cargo-ships-as-strait-of-hormuz-blockade-drags-on"
        }
    ],
    "author": {
        "first_name": "Flanders",
        "last_name": "News Service"
    },
    "format_version": 5
}