Brent crude tops $125 a barrel on Iran war worries, while world stocks retreat

HONG KONG (AP) - The price of Brent crude oil surged past $125 a barrel early Thursday as stalled U.S.-Iran talks raised doubts over the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and a permanent end to the Iran war.

Brent crude to be delivered in June jumped 6.2% to $125.36 and Brent to be delivered in July rose 3.1% to $113.85.

Benchmark U.S. crude climbed 2.3% to $109.38 per barrel.

Before the start of the war in late February, Brent crude was trading around $70 per barrel.

The Iran war, which is in its ninth week, still sees no clear path to an end. The U.S. has continued its blockade of Iranian ports while the Strait of Hormuz, is closed, pushing oil prices higher. Reports Thursday suggesting an possible escalation by U.S. President Donald Trump doused hopes for a quick end to the conflict.

"The breakdown of talks between the U.S. and Iran, along with President Trump reportedly rejecting Iran's proposal for a reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, has the market losing hope for any quick resumption in oil flows," ING Bank strategists Warren Patterson and Ewa Manthey wrote in a research note.

U.S. futures and share prices in Asia retreated following a muted performance on Wall Street on Wednesday.

Tokyo's Nikkei 225 shed 1.6% to 58,967.07 and the Kospi in South Korea fell 1.1% to 6,615.51.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng lost 1.3% to 25,772.50, and the Shanghai Composite index traded 0.1% higher at 4,109.99. China's factory activity for April slowed slightly but remained in expansion territory for the second month, despite the global energy shock prompted by the Iran war, an official survey showed.

Australia's S&P/ASX 200 was down 0.3% to 8,665.50.

Taiwan's Taiex edged 0.1% lower and while India's Sensex lost 1.2%.