il Price Hits Nine-Month High in New York

 　　The price of oil is rising, hitting a nine-month high on the New York market as traders worry about the disruption in Iranian oil exports.

　　On Sunday, Iran cut off the small amount of oil it supplies to British and French companies. It was a pre-emptive retaliation¹ against the European Union's planned embargo² of Iranian oil starting in July that is aimed at halting Tehran's nuclear development program. The U.S. and EU nations say Iran's nuclear program is aimed at producing nuclear weaponry, a claim Iran rejects.

　　On Monday, Iran threatened to extend the oil cutoff to other European countries, which together buy about 600,000 barrels of Iranian oil a day of the 2.5 million Iran exports. About two-thirds of Iran's exported oil is sent to Asian countries.

　　As the uncertainty³ grew, the price of crude on the New York market increased about 2 percent to more than $105 a barrel, its highest point since early last May. The price is up more than 6 percent since start of the year.

　　The price for Brent crude on the London market rose 1.3 percent Monday to more than $121 a barrel.

　　Oil financial analysts⁴ say Iran's heightened tensions with the West, along with continued economic growth in the U.S. and China, the world's two largest economies, are likely to keep oil prices high. The higher price of crude oil has already boosted gasoline prices that motorists pay in the U.S.

1 retaliation   

n.报复，反击

参考例句：

• retaliation against UN workers 对联合国工作人员的报复
• He never said a single word in retaliation. 他从未说过一句反击的话。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 embargo   

n.禁运（令）；vt.对...实行禁运，禁止（通商）

参考例句：

• This country put an oil embargo on an enemy country.该国对敌国实行石油禁运。
• During the war,they laid an embargo on commerce with enemy countries.在战争期间，他们禁止与敌国通商。

3 uncertainty   

n.易变，靠不住，不确知，不确定的事物

参考例句：

• Her comments will add to the uncertainty of the situation.她的批评将会使局势更加不稳定。
• After six weeks of uncertainty,the strain was beginning to take its toll.6个星期的忐忑不安后，压力开始产生影响了。

4 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。