Crude prices kept climbing as market watchers tracked escalating friction between Washington and Caracas, plus infrastructure hits at a key Black Sea export hub. WTI benchmark nudged up 0.4% to settle at $59.57 per barrel. Brent crude saw a sharper move—closing 1.3% higher at $63.17/barrel.

The uptick? Largely driven by geopolitical risk premiums. Tensions surrounding Venezuela's energy sector and ongoing disruptions in Ukraine's export corridors are tightening supply-side narratives. When critical infrastructure gets damaged and diplomatic relations turn frosty, traders reflexively price in scarcity scenarios. That geopolitical premium might be partial for now, but it's enough to prop up valuations in an otherwise volatile macro backdrop. Worth noting: these energy shifts ripple through risk assets broadly—commodities, equities, and yes, digital assets all respond when oil markets sneeze.