%{{tag.tag}} {{articledata.title}} {{moment(articledata.cdate)}} @{{articledata.company.replace(" ","")}} comment Oil prices have now risen for four consecutive weeks as new U.S. sanctions on Russian energy products disrupt global supplies. Brent %CrudeOil, the international standard, is up 0.4% and trading at $81.65 U.S. per barrel. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil, the American benchmark, is up 0.7% to $79.21 U.S. a barrel on Jan. 17. The price of oil is being underpinned by the U.S. government enacting broader sanctions on Russian oil producers and tanker ships. Energy traders and investors are also assessing the potential implications of Donald Trump's return to the White House and what it could mean for oil markets. Trump's nominee for Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessant, has said that he favours tougher sanctions on Russian oil. Traders are also reviewing the latest economic data out of China, the world's top oil importer. Beijing has reported that the Chinese economy met the government's 5% growth target in 2024. Also bolstering oil prices are expectations of a halt in the attacks by Yemen's Houthi militia on crude ships traveling through the Red Sea following a Gaza ceasefire deal with Israel. The Houthis' attacks have disrupted global oil shipments for more than a year, forcing ships to make longer and more expensive trips around southern Africa.