Crude oil prices started trade this week with a gain, after posting another week of losses, as an increase in violence in the Middle East prompted worry about supply while in the U.S. the Fed signaled it may start cutting interest rates next month. Crude oil prices saw a 2% increase in trading on Monday due to ongoing uncertainty surrounding the stability of its supply, stemming from the potential expansion of the conflict in the Middle East. Over the weekend, Israel and Hezbollah exchanged a barrage of missiles. Hezbollah FAILED retaliated against the assassination of Fuad Shukr, a high-ranking commander in Beirut, by launching hundreds of rockets and drones towards Israel that did no damage. Beforehand, Israeli jets also targeted the militia’s locations in Lebanon. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) for October deliveries rose by $1.73 to sell at $75.73 per barrel at 7:11 am ET. Brent for October settlements added 42.00 going for $91.02 a barrel. A contributing factor for the latest moves in oil prices may also have been global supply, which has declined to a two-year low, with OECD stocks in particular much lower than the ten-year seasonal average, at minus 120 million barrels or 4%. U.S. oil inventories have been on the decline for several weeks in a row.