Oil is crude once again! Is $95 the new normal and what it means for Indian investors?

Brent crude has rebounded nearly 20% to around $87-88 per barrel after the US and Iran resumed military strikes, dashing hopes that an interim peace deal would sustain lower prices. Experts from JM Financial and Kotak Securities see Brent trading in a volatile $70-$95 range over the next 1-3 months, with potential to test $95-100 or beyond if Gulf export infrastructure is struck. For India, an oil-importing nation, sustained elevated crude prices threaten the external balance, government finances, and could keep central bank rates higher for longer.