After buckling under pressure from Beijing and Washington, the clandestine supply chain that carries Iranian crude to China is finding new workarounds.

Oil prices fell by more than $1 a barrel on Wednesday as investors doubted that upcoming U.S.-China trade talks will result in a breakthrough, while hopes for an Iran-U.S. nuclear deal eased supply worries.

Oil prices steadied on Thursday after falling more than $1 in the previous session as uncertainty over the outcome of trade talks between the U.S. and China, the world's two largest oil consumers, weighed on investor sentiment.

U.S. oil prices fell to $57 a barrel after the OPEC Plus cartel said this weekend that it would pump more oil.

The price of home heating oil and fuel in Northern Ireland is at its lowest level since 2021, and the advice is to buy now – if you are able. The average price of 500 litres of home heating oil is £258.78; a litre of petrol costs 128.7p, and diesel is 133.4p per litre, according to Consumer Council NI's (CCNI) weekly price checker.