WTI trades with mild gains above $65.00 on market optimism
- WTI price edges higher to near $65.30 in Thursday’s early Asian session.
- The US-Japan trade deal boosts market optimism, supporting the WTI price.
- Crude inventories in the United States declined by 3.169 million barrels last week, noted EIA.
West Texas Intermediate (WTI), the US crude oil benchmark, is trading around $65.30 during the early Asian trading hours on Thursday. The WTI posts modest gains as a new US trade deal boosts market optimism.
The uptick of black gold is bolstered by a trade deal that US President Donald Trump announced with Japan and the Philippines. On Wednesday, the European Union (EU) officials said they were heading towards a trade deal with the US that would result in a broad 15% tariff on EU goods imported into the US, avoiding a higher 30% duties slated to be implemented from August 1.
US crude oil inventories fell last week. The US Energy Information Administration (EIA) weekly crude oil stock report showed crude oil stockpiles in the US for the week ending July 18 declined by 3.169 million barrels, compared to a fall of 3.859 million barrels in the previous week. The market consensus estimated that stocks would decrease by 1.4 million barrels. A fall in U.S. crude stockpiles generally lifts the WTI price, as it reflects stronger demand or tighter supply.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated that he will meet with Chinese officials in Stockholm next week to discuss extending the trade truce. Any signs of renewed trade tensions between the world’s two largest economies could spark fresh concern over global fuel demand and 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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