Space Travel News
OIL AND GAS
Oil prices fall back as 'hopeful' Tehran responds to Trump

Oil prices fall back as 'hopeful' Tehran responds to Trump

by AFP Staff Writers
New York (AFP) Feb 17, 2026
Shares vacillated and oil prices dropped back down Tuesday as Tehran gave an encouraging response during talks with US officials in Geneva on Iran's nuclear programme, after days of escalating rhetoric from President Donald Trump.

Oil prices had earlier risen after Trump ramped up threats towards Iran, a large crude producer, but Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said "a new window of opportunity has opened."

"We are hopeful that negotiation will lead to a sustainable and negotiated solution," he said, though he added that "Iran remains fully prepared to defend itself against any threat or act of aggression."

West Texas Intermediate was down 0.9 percent at $62.33 per barrel after earlier rising 1.5 percent, while international benchmark Brent North Sea Crude slipped 1.8 percent to $67.42.

"There's speculation that Iran could agree to dilute its most highly enriched uranium in exchange for the full lifting of financial sanctions, but it's not clear if that will be enough to seal a deal between the two parties," said Aarin Chiekrie, analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown.

Wall Street was vacillating earlier in the session but eventually closed marginally higher.

"Insurance brokers, wealth advisors, real estate services, and logistics were all in the firing line last week, and investors are cautiously watching for what slice of the market could be next on the AI hit list," Chiekrie added.

European stocks closed in the green with London and Frankfurt adding 0.8 percent, while Tokyo retreated and Chinese markets were again shut for the Lunar New Year.

Official data showed UK unemployment rising to a five-year high, and analysts said the reading of 5.2 percent for the final quarter of last year increased the likelihood of the Bank of England cutting its benchmark interest rate next month.

The greenback fell against the yen.

Europe's biggest economy Germany is unlikely to rebound in 2026 as geopolitical uncertainty, high costs and weak domestic demand weigh on growth, the country's Chamber of Industry and Commerce said Tuesday.

Germany returned to weak growth in 2025 after two years of recession.

Shares in German agrochemical giant Bayer rose almost eight percent, meanwhile, as it revealed subsidiary Monsanto had proposed a class settlement of up to $7.25 billion to settle claims that the Roundup weedkiller causes blood cancer, potentially drawing a line under years of costly litigation.

- Key figures at around 2200 GMT -

New York - Dow: UP 0.1 percent at 49,533.19 points (close)

New York - S&P 500: UP 0.1 percent at 6,843.22 (close)

New York - Nasdaq: DOWN 0.1 percent at 22,578.38 (close)

London - FTSE 100: UP 0.8 percent at 10,556.17 (close)

Paris - CAC 40: UP 0.5 percent at 8,361.46 (close)

Frankfurt - DAX: UP 0.8 percent at 24,998.40 (close)

Tokyo - Nikkei 225: DOWN 0.4 percent at 56,566.49 (close)

Hong Kong - Hang Seng Index: closed for holiday

Shanghai - Composite: closed for holiday

Euro/dollar: FLAT at $1.1854 from $1.1854 on Monday

Pound/dollar: DOWN at $1.3568 from $1.3630

Dollar/yen: DOWN at 153.29 yen from 153.48 yen

Euro/pound: UP at 87.37 pence from 86.98 pence

West Texas Intermediate: DOWN 0.9 percent at $62.33 per barrel

Brent North Sea Crude: DOWN 1.8 percent at $67.42 per barrel

burs-bys/jgc

Hargreaves Lansdown

Dow

S&P Global Ratings

Related Links
All About Oil and Gas News at OilGasDaily.com

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters
Tweet

RELATED CONTENT
The following news reports may link to other Space Media Network websites.
OIL AND GAS
US lawmaker moves to shield oil companies from climate cases
Washington, United States (AFP) Feb 12, 2026
A US lawmaker is drafting legislation to block a wave of state and local climate-damage lawsuits against fossil fuel companies, advancing a top priority of the oil and gas industry. Republican Representative Harriet Hageman announced the effort during a hearing on Wednesday, following a letter last year from a group of attorneys general from conservative-led states urging the creation of a federal "liability shield" similar to the one Congress granted gunmakers in 2005. Hageman also targeted so- ... read more

OIL AND GAS
OIL AND GAS
Curiosity Blog, Sols 4788-4797: Welcome Back from Conjunction

NASA Study: Non-biologic Processes Don't Fully Explain Mars Organics

Martian toxin found to toughen microbe built bricks

Perseverance rover completes landmark AI guided trek across Jezero rim

OIL AND GAS
First Crewed Moon Flyby In 54 Years: Artemis II

DLR plans new control center for future Moon and Mars missions

Artemis II teams step through full-scale launch rehearsal at Kennedy

Lunar soil test chamber paves way for future moon construction

OIL AND GAS
Jupiter size refined by new radio mapping

Polar weather on Jupiter and Saturn hints at the planets' interior details

Europa ice delamination may deliver nutrients to hidden ocean

Birth conditions fixed water contrast on Jupiters moons

OIL AND GAS
JWST study links sulfur rich gas giants to core growth in distant HR 8799 system

Survey of 80 near Earth asteroids sharpens view of their origins and risks

Lab made cosmic dust experiment reveals paths to life chemistry

Einstein effect clears planets from tight double star systems

OIL AND GAS
India's tougher AI social media rules spark censorship fears

Macron calls Musk 'an oversubsidised guy', prompting retort

SpaceX shifts focus from Mars to Moon, Musk says

Isar Aerospace expands engine and stage testing at Esrange

OIL AND GAS
Dragon spacecraft gears up for crew 12 arrival and station science work

China prepares offshore test base for reusable liquid rocket launches

Retired EVA workhorse to guide China's next-gen spacesuit and lunar gear

Tiangong science program delivers data surge

OIL AND GAS
Amino acids in Bennu asteroid hint at icy radioactive origin

ExLabs taps SpacePilot autonomy for Apophis asteroid mission

ExLabs and ChibaTech team up to land student CubeLanders on asteroid Apophis

Asteroid metals harden under extreme particle blasts

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2026 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.