WTI drifts lower below $103.50 as traders weigh mixed signals from Trump
- WTI price drifts lower to near $103.20 in Wednesday's Asian session.
- Trump said the US may need to strike Iran again.
- The EIA crude oil stocks report is due later on Wednesday.
West Texas Intermediate (WTI), the US crude oil benchmark, is trading around $103.20 during the Asian trading hours on Wednesday. The WTI price trades with mild losses as traders weigh mixed signals from US President Donald Trump on whether the United States (US) will resume the Iran war.
Trump said on Tuesday that the US might have to give Iran “another big hit.” His renewed threat came after he said he called off an attack scheduled for Tuesday at the request of the leaders of Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The US president further stated that Iran has a “limited period of time” to agree to a deal. Meanwhile, an Iranian official said that the US threat of a massive attack at any moment will be met "resolutely," and Tehran is “prepared to confront any military aggression." Traders remain wary about the outcome of peace talks amid continued disruptions to Middle East supply from the conflict.
Oil traders brace for the release of the Energy Information Administration (EIA) report, which will be published later on Wednesday. A larger-than-expected crude oil inventory draw indicates stronger demand and could lift the WTI price, while a bigger build than estimated signals weaker demand or excess supply, which might weigh on the WTI price.
WTI Oil FAQs
WTI Oil is a type of Crude Oil sold on international markets. The WTI stands for West Texas Intermediate, one of three major types including Brent and Dubai Crude. WTI is also referred to as “light” and “sweet” because of its relatively low gravity and sulfur content respectively. It is considered a high quality Oil that is easily refined. It is sourced in the United States and distributed via the Cushing hub, which is considered “The Pipeline Crossroads of the World”. It is a benchmark for the Oil market and WTI price is frequently quoted in the media.
Like all assets, supply and demand are the key drivers of WTI Oil price. As such, global growth can be a driver of increased demand and vice versa for weak global growth. Political instability, wars, and sanctions can disrupt supply and impact prices. The decisions of OPEC, a group of major Oil-producing countries, is another key driver of price. The value of the US Dollar influences the price of WTI Crude Oil, since Oil is predominantly traded in US Dollars, thus a weaker US Dollar can make Oil more affordable and vice versa.
The weekly Oil inventory reports published by the American Petroleum Institute (API) and the Energy Information Agency (EIA) impact the price of WTI Oil. Changes in inventories reflect fluctuating supply and demand. If the data shows a drop in inventories it can indicate increased demand, pushing up Oil price. Higher inventories can reflect increased supply, pushing down prices. API’s report is published every Tuesday and EIA’s the day after. Their results are usually similar, falling within 1% of each other 75% of the time. The EIA data is considered more reliable, since it is a government agency.
OPEC (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries) is a group of 12 Oil-producing nations who collectively decide production quotas for member countries at twice-yearly meetings. Their decisions often impact WTI Oil prices. When OPEC decides to lower quotas, it can tighten supply, pushing up Oil prices. When OPEC increases production, it has the opposite effect. OPEC+ refers to an expanded group that includes ten extra non-OPEC members, the most notable of which is Russia.
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