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Why Is Oil Going Up?

Live analysis of the events driving Crude Oil — ranked by impact, traced from event to price.

Last updated: August 13, 2026 at 1:28 PM UTCUpdates every 5 minutesLive

Crude Oil

81.18

-2.51% (-2.09)

S&P 500

772.49

+0.25% (+1.93)

Nasdaq 100

723.70

+0.73% (+5.25)

Dow Jones

537.15

-0.02% (-0.13)

AI Summary

Oil is actually down -2.5% today — here's what's driving the move, and why the longer-run "why is oil going up" story still matters. US-Israel strikes on Iranian oil spike prices amid tensions.

Confidence:High
Sources analyzed: 230

The causal chain

How today's events are driving the market move.

1EVENT

Putin Plans Ukraine War Escalation Despite Trump Peace Push

Multiple sources including Reuters and Kremlin insiders indicate Putin is preparing to intensify the war against Ukraine in the near future, rejecting ceasefire proposals and potentially targeting NATO sites. UN reports record civilian casualties in June while Western aid continues but faces shortages, as both sides suffer heavy losses and prepare for prolonged conflict.

4 hours ago

2MECHANISM

Market sentiment turns mixed

Risk-off regime driven by simultaneous critical geopolitical escalations in Gaza, Ukraine, China-Taiwan, Iran, and Yemen, compounded by European drought and heatwave supply shocks.

4 hours ago

3MARKET IMPACT

OIL reacts to the news

Causal mechanism: Direct supply risk premium from Gaza ceasefire violations, Yemen shipping attacks, Iran tensions, and Ukraine escalation. Historical precedent: Similar to October 2023 Hamas attack when oil spiked over 4% in two days. Key risk: Rapid ceasefire agreement in Gaza or Ukraine de-escalation removes premium.

4 hours ago

Key drivers ranking

Ranked by impact on today's market move.

#DriverImpactImpact ScorePredicted moveDetails
1

Putin Plans Ukraine War Escalation Despite Trump Peace Push

Geopolitics

Very High
9.5/10
↑ 25.0

on affected asset

Multiple sources including Reuters and Kremlin insiders indicate Putin is preparing to intensify the war against Ukraine in the near future, rejecting ceasefire proposals and potentially targeting NATO sites. UN reports record civilian casualties in June while Western aid continues but faces shortages, as both sides suffer heavy losses and prepare for prolonged conflict.
2

US Depletes Precision Missiles in Dragging Iran War

Geopolitics

Very High
9.5/10
↑ 25.0

on affected asset

The US has expended virtually all of its long-range precision missiles including ATACMS during five months of strikes on Iran, raising serious concerns about arsenal depletion and future deterrence against Russia and China. Polls show most Americans believe the war has failed to achieve its goals, is not worth the cost, and want it ended immediately as it enters its sixth month with no clear resolution.
3

Zelenskyy Pushes Ceasefire as Russia Prepares Mobilization

Geopolitics

Very High
9.5/10
↑ 25.0

on affected asset

Zelenskyy states a ceasefire is preferable to prolonged fighting and reveals Ukraine submitted peace proposals to the US while warning of Russian mobilization plans. Russia rejects freeze ideas, seeks more North Korean troops, and faces high casualties as domestic pressures mount on Ukrainian leadership.
4

Yemeni Army Thwarts Houthi Infiltration in Taiz

Geopolitics

High
7.5/10
↑ 25.0

on affected asset

Yemeni government forces repelled a Houthi infiltration attempt east of Taiz, killing and injuring several fighters in artillery clashes. The army responded by shelling Houthi positions across multiple fronts as military escalation continues in the region.
5

Russia Claims Kostiantynivka Capture Ukraine Denies

Geopolitics

High
7.5/10
↑ 25.0

on affected asset

Russian defense ministry announced the capture of Kostiantynivka in eastern Ukraine amid heavy fighting on the Pokrovsk front. Ukraine's leadership including Zelensky firmly denied the claim while both sides reported intense daily combat clashes exceeding 200 engagements.

Frequently asked questions

Why is Crude Oil down today?

The move is being driven primarily by Putin Plans Ukraine War Escalation Despite Trump Peace Push, US Depletes Precision Missiles in Dragging Iran War and Zelenskyy Pushes Ceasefire as Russia Prepares Mobilization. See the ranked catalysts below for the full breakdown of each event, its mechanism, and its market impact.

How does Catalyst analyze what is moving the market?

Catalyst continuously ingests market-moving events, ranks them by severity and predicted impact, and traces each one from the underlying event through its mechanism to the resulting market move across stocks, gold, oil and crypto.