WTI rises as US funding bill fuels demand recovery optimism despite supply concerns
- Oil prices rise as US Congress moves toward passing a funding bill to end the government shutdown.
- Demand recovery prospects support the Oil market, but supply surpluses continue to cap gains.
- West Texas Intermediate trades around $60.75 a barrel, up 1.20% on Tuesday at the time of writing.
West Texas Intermediate (WTI) US Oil stabilizes around $60.75 on Tuesday at the time of writing, up 1.20% on the day, supported by hopes that the reopening of the US government will revive economic activity. The US Senate’s approval of a temporary funding bill on Monday by a 60-40 vote raises expectations that the country’s longest-ever budget impasse will soon end.
This prospect fuels optimism for a short-term rebound in energy consumption, as the resumption of federal agencies’ operations is expected to boost government spending and transportation activity. However, the Oil market continues to face persistent oversupply signals as US inventories have risen for a fourth straight week, while Asian floating storage has doubled since October.
Since mid-September, global Crude benchmarks have fallen by about 15%, pressured by higher non-OPEC output and slower-than-expected Chinese refining demand, according to Oilprice. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies (OPEC+) confirmed plans to increase production by 137,000 barrels per day in December before pausing hikes in the first quarter of 2026, a cautious step to rebalance the market.
The WTI price rebound is also supported by a weaker US Dollar (USD) following ADP data showing an average loss of 11,250 private-sector jobs over the four weeks ending October 25, released earlier in the day. The figures strengthened expectations of further monetary easing from the Federal Reserve (Fed), with markets now pricing in a 70% chance of a rate cut in December, according to the CME FedWatch tool.
Investors now turn their focus to the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) Monthly Oil Market Report and the American Petroleum Institute (API) Weekly Crude Oil Stock data due on Wednesday, ahead of the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) Crude Oil Inventories awaited on Thursday. These reports are expected to provide fresh insight into the fragile balance between demand recovery and ongoing supply excess in the global Oil market.
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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