WTI rises above $98.50 amid Middle East supply fears
- WTI gains as Saudi Arabia's East-West pipeline remains shut indefinitely following recent drone attacks, fueling supply anxiety.
- Iran reported a supertanker explosion near Hormuz and refused U.S. talks amid regional diplomatic gridlock.
- Ukrainian President Zelenskyy conditioned halting energy strikes on Russian reciprocity, contradicting claims of a prior suspension agreement.
West Texas Intermediate (WTI) oil price extends its gains for the second successive day, trading around $98.60 per barrel during the Asian hours on Tuesday. Crude oil prices appreciate as traders continue to navigate heightened uncertainty over global supply.
Saudi Arabia’s East-West pipeline, which provides an alternative route to the Strait of Hormuz, remains shut following drone attacks, with no clear indication of when operations will resume.
A diplomatic meeting between Iran and the Gulf Arab states to discuss the situation in Hormuz was also abruptly postponed. Meanwhile, Iran claimed that a supertanker attempting to enter a restricted area in Hormuz exploded after striking mines, while maintaining that it would not engage in talks with the US until its demands are met.
In Eastern Europe, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine is prepared to halt attacks on Russian energy targets if Russia does the same, contradicting US President Donald Trump’s claim that Moscow and Kyiv had already agreed to suspend strikes against each other’s energy infrastructure.
Trend followers stay fully loaded in oil complex
According to TD Securities, trend-following commodity trading advisors remain heavily committed to the energy complex, with the bank noting that "CTAs remain max long across crude oil, diesel and gasoline markets, with only vol levels constraining positioning at this point." This underscores how systematic length in oil products is now being limited less by conviction and more by volatility considerations.
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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