Brent crude traded around $102 a barrel on Friday as reports of additional US military deployments to the Middle East coincided with China’s decision to halt most refined fuel exports for October. The reported deployment of a third US aircraft carrier strike group and an amphibious force carrying 2,000 Marines has raised concerns about a possible escalation in the months-long conflict. US President Donald Trump has signaled an intention to resume strikes on Iran after the November midterm elections. Strongly recovering oil flows from the Persian Gulf have largely offset upward price pressures, with Middle Eastern crude exports returning close to prewar levels. Uncertainty over US-Iran negotiations remains an important factor for the outlook, while the G7 has agreed to release as much as 100 million barrels of diesel and crude stocks over the next four months.