Aramco scrips surge 4%, most in three years

Saudi Aramco jumped the most since April 2023 on Sunday as the Iran war entered its second week, prompting supply disruptions that may send oil prices higher when global markets reopen. Shares of the state-backed oil giant climbed as much as 4.9% in Riyadh before paring gains to close up 4.1%, on the first day of trading for the stock since Brent crude prices topped $90 a barrel on Friday.

Brent may climb further after UAE and Kuwait started reducing oil production amid a near-closure of Strait of Hormuz waterway, adding to interruptions affecting worldwide energy supply and exports.

"For Aramco, we believe that the gain in oil prices would offset a decline in exports," said Junaid Ansari, head of research and strategy at Kamco Investment Co. "We also believe that Aramco should be able to re-route a bulk of its shipments to the Red Sea. It's just about logistics and handling the excess capacity." Aramco has been redirecting oil cargoes to Red Sea facilities on Saudi Arabia's west coast to avoid the Strait of Hormuz.