A sedate Asia session with WTI & Brent adding...>

OIL: A sedate Asia session with WTI & Brent adding a few cents vs. settlement.

- Middle East tensions continue to draw the most interest. As a reminder Trump

has noted that there are many options short of war with Iran after Saudi

displayed remnants of drones & missiles that it pointed to as proof that the

recent attacks on its crude facilities were "unquestionably sponsored" by

Tehran. Iran quickly provided a rebuttal to the accusations, as a gov't spox

tweeted that Saudi has proved that "it knows nothing." Also worth flagging that

a senior military commander of Yemen's rebel Houthi group has threatened UAE oil

companies & their "glass cities" will be among the group's future tgts, pointing

to ongoing tensions in the regions.

- Meanwhile, U.S. Sec of State Pompeo remains relatively hawkish re: Iran,

suggesting that the attacks on Saudi facilities telling were "an act of war."

The latest CBS report noted that the attack was approved by Iran's supreme

leader, but only on the condition that it be carried out in a way that made it

possible to deny Iranian involvement, per a U.S. official.

- Elsewhere, the Kuwaiti oil sector has been placed on "maximum alert."