U.S. Treasury Secretary-designate Scott Bessent says oil could fall as low as $40 a barrel following any Iran-related conflict, and that government bond yields would likely move lower as a result. The comments link the direction of energy prices to broader market expectations for inflation and interest rates.
The outlets attribute the same core view to Bessent: easing crude prices after heightened geopolitical risk could reduce price pressures and lead investors to price fewer or smaller rate hikes. While the coverage varies in emphasis, both accounts focus on the potential post-war path for crude and the implied impact on yields, rather than on specific policy measures or detailed timing. The reports do not present new primary data in the snippets provided, instead summarizing Bessent’s forecast for financial markets under a scenario tied to an Iran escalation.
