- WTI price trades in negative territory in Wednesday’s early European session, down 0.35% on the day.
- Slower economic growth in the US and China could diminish demand for WTI.
- The potential shutdown of Libya's oil production and Middle East geopolitical tensions might cap the downside for crude oil prices.
West Texas Intermediate (WTI), the US crude oil benchmark, is trading around $75.10 on Wednesday. The WTI price edges lower as investors are concerned about slower economic growth in the United States and China.
Data released by the Conference Board on Wednesday revealed that the US Consumer Confidence Index improved to 103.3 in August from an upwardly revised 101.9 in July. Nonetheless, consumers are more worried about the labor market after the Unemployment Rate reached a nearly three-year high of 4.3% last month.
Furthermore, fears of the economic health and future oil demand in China weigh on the crude oil price, as China is the world’s largest importer of oil. Daan Struyven, head of oil research at Goldman, noted demand in China has softened as the country switches from gasoline-powered cars to electric vehicles.
The US crude inventories declined last week. According to the American Petroleum Institute (API), crude oil stockpiles in the United States for the week ending August 23 fell by 3.4 million barrels, compared to an increase of 0.347 million barrels in the previous week. The market consensus estimated that stocks would decline by 3.0 million barrels.
The downside for the WTI price might be limited amid the potential shutdown of Libya's oil production and geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. It's worth noting that Libya produces around 1.2 million barrels per day, with more than 1 million bpd exported to the global market. The developments surrounding Libya's output cuts have triggered further supply concerns and lifted 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 13 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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