WTI comes off from day’s high as investors seeks clarity on Hormuz reopening
- The Oil price retreats from the day’s high to near $77.55, but is still holding significant intraday gains.
- Iran wants war compensation and the withdrawal of the US naval blockade as key demands for Hormuz reopening.
- Iran-backed Houthis continue to attack Saudi Arabian energy infrastructure.
West Texas Intermediate (WTI), futures on NYMEX, gives back some of its early gains, but it still 1.6% higher at around $77.55 during the European trading session on Monday. The oil price retreats from its day’s high as fears of a prolonged global energy supply disruption have escalated.
Renewed uncertainty regarding the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital passage to almost 20% of global energy supply, with Iran setting out new conditions before the United States (US), has boosted oil prices.
Over the weekend, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Abbas Araghchi said that Tehran demands reparations to Iran for the war by the United States (US) before allowing navigation through the Hormuz, West Asia News Agency reported.
Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, secretary of the council, set six conditions include an end to US threats against Iran and insults to what Zolghadr described as the country’s national and religious values; a permanent end to attacks against Iran and its allies in Lebanon, Palestine, Yemen and Iraq; the lifting of the US naval blockade and withdrawal of US naval and air forces from around Iran; compensation for damage from what he called two “imposed wars”; the lifting of sanctions; and the unconditional release of frozen Iranian assets, Al Jazeera reported.
Meanwhile, ongoing tensions between Iran-aligned Houthis and Saudi Arabia are also impacting the global energy supply chain. Yahya Saree, a military spokesperson for the Houthis, said they targeted an Aramco refinery in the city of Jazan with a drone, The Guardian reported.
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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