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WTI rises to near $91.00 as US strikes continue against Iran
West Texas Intermediate oil price extends gains for the second successive day, trading around $90.70 per barrel during the Asian hours on Thursday. Crude oil prices are facing upward pressure as a second consecutive day of United States military strikes against Iran sparks fears of a prolonged conflict that could destabilize global energy markets.
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EUR/USD gathers strength to near 1.1550 ahead of ECB rate decision
The EUR/USD pair trades in positive territory near 1.1540 during the early Asian trading hours on Thursday. Rising bets that the European Central Bank will deliver a rate hike at its June policy meeting later on Thursday underpin the Euro against the Greenback.
GBP/USD nudges higher above 1.3350 despite rising Fed hike bets
The GBP/USD pair gathers strength to around 1.3385 during the Asian trading hours on Thursday. However, the potential upside might be limited amid rising expectations for higher-for-longer US interest rates. Markets might turn cautious later in the day ahead of the US Producer Price Index report.
USD/JPY sits near the April-May intervention level, around mid-160.00s
USD/JPY consolidates its recent gains to the highest level since late April, around mid-160.00s, where Japan conducted its last major FX intervention. Renewed speculations that authorities will step in again lend support to the Japanese Yen and cap the currency pair amid subdued US Dollar demand. However, economic risks stemming from the Middle East conflict keep the JPY bulls on the sidelines. Moreover, a fresh escalation of US-Iran tensions and bets for Fed rate hikes favor the USD bulls, suggesting that the path of least resistance for the pair remains to the upside.
Gold recovers slightly from November 2025 lows; not out of the woods yet
Gold extends the recent breakdown momentum below the 200-day SMA and plummets to its lowest level since November 2025 during the Asian session on Thursday. Renewed hostilities between the US and Iran push Crude Oil prices higher, reviving inflationary concerns and bolstering bets for more hawkish central banks. This continues to drive flows away from the non-yielding bullion, though subdued US Dollar demand helps spot prices to find some support ahead of the $4,000 psychological mark.
WTI rises to near $91.00 as US strikes continue against Iran
West Texas Intermediate oil price extends gains for the second successive day, trading around $90.70 per barrel during the Asian hours on Thursday. Crude oil prices are facing upward pressure as a second consecutive day of United States military strikes against Iran sparks fears of a prolonged conflict that could destabilize global energy markets.
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About Oil
Oil Highlights
Crude oil, commonly known as petroleum, is a naturally occurring fossil fuel liquid composed of hydrocarbon underground deposits and organic materials. Its prices are typically measured in US Dollars (USD).
The top oil-producing countries include Saudi Arabia, Russia, the United States, Iran, and China, while the largest consumers are the United States, China, Japan, Russia, and Germany.
Crude oil is classified into various grades according to density (heavy versus light) and sulfur content (sour versus sweet). Lighter and sweeter crude commands higher prices because refiners can produce a greater yield of high-quality refined products from it.
Density is measured by API gravity, a scale developed to compare the density of petroleum to water. An API greater than 10 means the liquid floats on water. In general, crude Oils with API values between 40 and 45 degrees have the highest commercial value.
Sulfur content determines the quality of crude Oil. Crude with high sulfur content (sour crude) is less pure and sells cheaper compared to crude with low sulfur content (sweet crude).
Major benchmarks
There are two main benchmarks for pricing crude Oil: West Texas Intermediate (WTI) from the United States (US) and Brent from the United Kingdom (UK).
WTI Crude
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”.
Most WTI crude Oil is refined in the Midwest and the Gulf Coast regions of the US.
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, are 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.
WTI serves as a benchmark in Oil pricing and is the underlying commodity of NYMEX Oil futures contracts.
Brent
Brent Crude Oil is a type of Crude Oil found in the North Sea that is used as a benchmark for international Oil prices. It is considered “light” and “sweet” because of its high gravity and low sulfur content, making it easier to refine into gasoline and other high-value products. Brent Crude Oil serves as a reference price for approximately two-thirds of the world's internationally traded Oil supplies. Its popularity rests on its availability and stability: the North Sea region has well-established infrastructure for Oil production and transportation, ensuring a reliable and consistent supply.
Brent crude is a blend from 15 different oil fields in the North Sea. It has an API gravity of 38.3 degrees and a sulfur content of around 0.37%, making it heavier and less sweet than WTI crude. Brent is suitable for the refinery of gasoline and middle distillates.
Originally traded on the International Petroleum Exchange in London, Brent crude futures have been listed on the Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) since 2005.
Oil and USD/CAD Correlation
The special relationship between Oil and the Loonie
Canada is among the world's largest Oil producers and it exports crude primarily to the US. This trade relationship directly impacts the Canadian Dollar (CAD), popularly known as the Loonie. Since Canadian dollars are needed to purchase and move Oil across the border, the fluctuation in Oil prices has a direct impact on the USD/CAD pair.
When Oil prices decline, the demand for the Loonie often weakens, causing USD/CAD to rise. Conversely, higher Oil prices frequently lead to CAD strength and a drop in the pair.
Oil prices are a significant factor influencing the Loonie’s price action, alongside risk sentiment and economic fundamentals. If you are trading USD/CAD, monitoring Oil charts can provide crucial insights.