Oil prices have risen as attacks on shipping in the Middle East raise fresh concerns over the prospects of reopening the Strait of Hormuz. According to Al Jazeera, Brent crude gained more than two per cent overnight into Wednesday, pushing the international benchmark close to $90 a barrel. Brent futures…...Oil prices have risen as attacks on shipping in the Middle East raise fresh concerns over the prospects of reopening the Strait of Hormuz. According to Al Jazeera, Brent crude gained more than two per cent overnight into Wednesday, pushing the international benchmark close to $90 a barrel. Commodity Context, an oil market research firm founded by Toronto-based researcher Rory Johnston, estimated that the moving average peaked at about seven million barrels per day last week.