Oil Prices Remain Above $100 as Mideast Conflict Roils Markets

Stock markets slide amid ongoing tensions in the region

Mar. 14, 2026 at 2:52pm

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Oil prices remained elevated above $100 per barrel on Friday as the ongoing conflict in the Middle East continued to roil global financial markets. Stock indexes fell sharply as investors grew increasingly concerned about the potential economic fallout from the regional instability.

Why it matters

Persistently high oil prices can have far-reaching impacts on the global economy, affecting everything from consumer spending and business operations to transportation and energy costs. The stock market volatility also reflects broader uncertainty about the potential for the conflict to escalate and disrupt energy supplies.

The details

Crude oil futures traded on the New York Mercantile Exchange closed above the $100 per barrel threshold on Friday, continuing a trend seen in recent weeks as the war in the Middle East has intensified. The rise in oil prices has contributed to a broader sell-off in equities, with major U.S. stock indexes like the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite declining by over 2% on the day.

  • Oil prices have remained above $100 per barrel since the start of the conflict in the Middle East in late February 2026.

The players

New York Mercantile Exchange

The world's largest physical commodity futures exchange, where crude oil futures contracts are traded.

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What’s next

Analysts will be closely monitoring the situation in the Middle East and its continued impact on global energy markets and financial assets in the coming days and weeks.

The takeaway

The sustained high oil prices and stock market volatility underscore the far-reaching economic consequences of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, highlighting the importance of energy security and geopolitical stability for the global economy.