WTI retests $100 as the winning streak extends alongside Middle East war
West Texas Intermediate (WTI) – the US oil benchmark – witnesses a fresh leg higher in early dealings on Monday, extending its winning streak into a fourth consecutive trading day.
The relentless surge in the black gold this Monday is mainly due to a potential threat to Red Sea shipping by Yemen’s Iran-sponsored militant group, Houthis.
Houthis launched their first attacks on Israel since the start of the conflict on Saturday, in a geographical expansion of the Middle East war, which began on February 28 after the US-Israel struck Iran.
The looming risks to global trade through the Red Sea combined with the existing blockage to the Strait of Hormuz, intensify concerns over energy supply disruptions, driving the oil price rally.
WTI tops $100 per barrel once again, looking for another attempt toward the three-year high of $113.28.
All eyes now remain on any further attacks by Houthis on Israel, a probable US ground military operation into Iran and peace talks between the US and Iran for fresh trading impetus in oil prices.
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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