FSL HONG KONG

The Middle East war intensified on Tuesday with Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen launching strikes on several Saudi cities, further embroiling a U.S. ally in the conflict, while U.S. forces hit multiple Iranian oil tankers and Iran targeted a U.S. base in Jordan.The Houthis attacked four cities in the south of Saudi Arabia, wounding 73 people and setting oil installations ablaze in what appeared to be a major expansion of the six-month-old war.As global oil markets were pricing in the Saudi attacks, the U.S.

Hapag-Lloyd is working with the Israeli government on improvements to its proposed $4.2 billion cash purchase of ZIM Integrated Shipping Services, the German shipping group said on Monday.The proposed deal has faced heavy opposition in Israel, including ZIM's workers, Defence Minister Israel Katz and other government officials, who argue that it undermines national security by transferring Israel's shipping to a foreign company."We are now developing an improved proposal designed to further strengthen Israel's maritime security and independence," said Hapag-Lloyd CEO Rolf Habben Jansen.

Windward Offshore has taken delivery of the Windward Hamburg, completing its four-vessel series of purpose-built commissioning service operation vessels (CSOVs) ordered from shipbuilder Vard.The delivery brings the Windward Hamburg into the fleet alongside sister vessels Windward Athens, Windward Paris and Windward Munich, providing capacity to support offshore wind projects during construction, commissioning and long-term operations.Based on VARD's 4 19 design, the Windward Hamburg is 87.5 meters long and 19.5 meters wide and can accommodate up to 120 people. Like the Windward Munich, it is also equipped with a helideck to provide an additional personnel transfer option.

Chicago wheat futures jumped on Tuesday as hopes faded for a U.S. diplomatic effort to end the war in Ukraine, which has disrupted Black Sea grain shipments, analysts and traders said.Corn and soybean futures chopped up and down as traders adjusted positions ahead of Friday's U.S. Department of Agriculture supply and demand report.The most-traded wheat contract on the Chicago Board of Trade was 4-3/4 cents higher to $7.38-3/4 per bushelas of 11:00 a.m. CT (1600 GMT). It had jumped as high as $7.63 in earlier overnight trade.CBOT corn fell 2-3/4 cents to $5.34 a bushel, while soybeans rose 2-1/4 cents to $13.12 a bushel.

Oil prices rose to a six-week high on Tuesday after Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen attacked Saudi energy facilities, setting oil installations ablaze and threatening a major expansion of the six-month-old Middle East war.Brent crude futures rose 70 cents, or 0.7%, to $97.70 a barrel at 10:56 a.m. EDT (1456 GMT), while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude rose $1.21, or 1.3%, to $92.69. That puts Brent on track for its highest close since July 23 and WTI on track for its highest close since June 4.The Houthis attacked four cities in the south of U.S.-ally Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, wounding more than 70 people.