The collapse of talks between Iran and the "Big 6" (the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany) should have accelerated international crude oil prices. And yes, they are higher. But the real spike hasn't hit. Not yet. The rising crisis atmosphere in the region and the genuine possibility that a fourth round of talks between the two sides will not even take place should have renewed the upward movement. That hasn't taken place yet, either. Oil prices are caught between the normal dynamics of geopolitical concerns - which push prices north - and continuing concerns over a global economic slowdown - which results in lowering expectations. Now, this limbo is a delicate balance; it could change in a matter of hours. We are likely to see a short-term rise Monday evening if the Norwegian oil and gas sector strike is not averted. Labor negotiations between Norway's oil workers and employers over pay and pensions failed - yet again - yesterday. The country is now just hours away from the first complete shutdown of its oil industry in decades. (Already, the strike has cut oil output by 13%, according to Reuters .) Then there are the figures coming out from the Energy Information Administration (EIA) on Wednesday, which will almost certainly show a drawdown on U.S. inventories. Normally, that would also push up prices. However, absent an Iranian move against the Strait of Hormuz or a major refinery accident somewhere in the world, the rise will be less than usual. That's because right now, four things are tempering the oil price rise: To continue reading, please click here...