IRAN PESSIMISTIC ON U.S. DEAL BEFORE MIDTERMS Iranian officials privately see little prospect of reaching a U.S. agreement to end hostilities and reopen Hormuz before the Nov. 3 midterms, Bloomberg reports. Talks in New York made limited progress, with nuclear concessions and reopening Hormuz remaining key sticking points. Negotiations through mediators are continuing, but fading hopes for a near-term breakthrough helped push Brent above $106.(彭博社)