The Breakfast Table

Oil is a fuel that ships carry all around the world. Its price is quoted per barrel. On Thursday, Brent crude, a main world price, rose to about $110 a barrel. It had ended Wednesday at $108.82.

The price rose after attacks in Saudi Arabia, the world's big oil seller. The Houthis, a group in Yemen, hit targets in the kingdom on Wednesday. At a civilian airport in Dammam, one person was killed and eight were wounded. A drone attack near Shaybah, a Saudi oilfield, killed two people. Saudi officials said work at the oilfield was not affected. Earlier this month, the country's East-West pipeline, which carries oil to Red Sea ports, was reportedly halted after a Houthi strike hit a pumping station.

The attacks led the United States to tell some diplomats and their families to leave Saudi Arabia. Ships are under attack too. Kpler, a firm that tracks ships, counted at least 18 attacks on shipping in two weeks.

India buys much of its oil from other countries and pays in US dollars. So when oil gets dearer, Indian markets feel it. On Thursday the Sensex, a main index of share prices, fell 460.30 points to 73,249.39. The Nifty, another main index, fell for a third day in a row.

The rupee also slipped. It fell about 30 paise, to 94.81 against the US dollar. Analysts expect it to trade between 94.45 and 95.25. A weaker rupee makes imports, such as oil, cost more rupees.

The Reserve Bank of India, the country's central bank, has raised its main interest rate, the repo rate, by 0.25 points to 5.50%. Its rate-setting committee voted unanimously. Minutes released on Wednesday said cuts are off the table for now, and the next move can only be a rise or a pause.