LONDON, April 22 (Reuters) - Oil prices rose 2% on Wednesday, erasing earlier losses after reports of gunfire attacks on at least three container ships in the Strait of Hormuz and a lack of progress in peace talks between the U.S. and Iran.
Brent crude futures LCOc1were up $1.71, or 1.7%, at $100.19 a barrel at 1256 GMT. West Texas Intermediate futures CLc1 were up $1.69, or 1.9%, to $91.36. Both benchmarks climbed about 3% on Tuesday.
At least three container ships were hit by gunfire in the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Navy seized two vessels for what it described as maritime violations and transferred them to Iranian shores, the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported.
Iran and the U.S. have imposed restrictions on ships using the strait, which until the Iran war began at the end of February had carried about 20% of global oil and liquefied natural gas supplies.
Earlier, U.S. President Donald Trump said he would indefinitely extend the ceasefire with Iran, hours before it was due to expire. Neither side showed up for peace talks in Pakistan.
