Oil prices fall as stronger dollar offsets Red Sea disruptions risks

Oil prices fell as a stronger US dollar limited demand for greenback-denominated crude, though the rising risks of supply disruptions amid the intensifying conflict in the Red Sea curbed the losses.

Global benchmark Brent crude futures fell 36 cents, or 0.5 percent, to $77.93 a barrel by 0215 GMT on Wednesday. US West Texas Intermediate crude futures (WTI) fell 43 cents, or 0.59 percent, to $71.97 a barrel.

Brent crude rose slightly on Tuesday while WTI fell as investors saw fundamentals weakening in the US but the ongoing naval and air conflicts in the Red Sea increased concerns of tankers having to reroute to avoid the area, increasing costs and the amount of time for deliveries.

The US dollar hovered near a one-month high on Wednesday after comments from US Federal Reserve officials pushing back against aggressive interest rate cut expectations.

The stronger dollar reduces demand for dollar-denominated oil for buyers paying in other currencies.

US strikes against Houthis

Falling oil prices were "triggered by slightly more hawkish comments from central bankers," Daniel Hynes, senior commodity strategist at ANZ Bank, said in a note.

"The lack of response from the market to recent geopolitical risks suggests it is discounting the threat of supply disruptions. However, while no output has been lost so far, it is indirectly tightening in the market by pushing more supply onto the water."

The US on Tuesday mounted fresh strikes against the Iran-allied Houthis in Yemen after a Houthi missile hit a Greek vessel in the Red Sea.

British oil major Shell suspended shipments through the Red Sea after the US and UK strikes began, but US producer Chevron is maintaining its Red Sea routes.

"While oil benchmarks may not reflect the Red Sea attacks, the realised price for oil and oil products for consumers has increased given the disruption to trade flows through the Red Sea and Suez Canal," Vivek Dhar, director of mining and energy commodities strategist at the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, said in a note.