WTI trades near 95.50 after trimming latest losses
- WTI rises on supply concerns amid stalled US–Iran talks and continued Strait of Hormuz closure.
- US intercepted two Iranian supertankers evading its blockade, as Tehran threatens vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.
- Analyst warns prolonged Hormuz disruptions could push inventories below five-year lows, adding supply-risk premium to oil prices.
West Texas Intermediate (WTI) oil price gains ground after opening at levels below the previous close, trading around 95.60 during the Asian hours on Friday. Crude oil prices gain on rising supply concerns amid stalled US-Iran peace negotiations and the continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
Bloomberg reported on Thursday that the US military intercepted two Iranian oil supertankers attempting to evade its blockade, as Washington presses ahead with efforts to curb Iran’s shipping while Tehran continues to threaten vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. US military officials are also preparing contingency plans to target Iran’s capabilities in the strait should the current ceasefire collapse.
US President Donald Trump warned that if Iran does not move its oil, its infrastructure could be targeted. Iranian officials, however, rejected claims of any truce extension and accused Washington of violating the agreement by maintaining a naval blockade on Iranian trade.
Iran on Thursday released footage showing commandos in a speedboat boarding a large cargo vessel following the breakdown of peace talks, underscoring its control over the Strait of Hormuz, a route through which roughly 20% of global oil and gas supplies typically pass.
Reuters, citing Mingyu Gao, chief researcher for energy and chemicals at China Futures, noted that prolonged disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz could drive global crude and refined product inventories below five-year seasonal lows by late May or early June, reintroducing a supply-risk premium into 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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