WTI falls below $67 on the pessimism of banking contagion

• WTI slides below $67 as global banking turmoil overshadows central banks' liquidity efforts.
• OPEC in trouble as falling prices persist: Can coordination among oil-exporting nations stabilize the market?
• Oil prices are vulnerable to the downside if banking turmoil continues.   

West Texas Intermediate (WTI) price fell below the $67 mark despite reassurance from major central banks. A likely case of banking contagion is unfolding. Credit Suisse fell apart. Later on, UBS was urged to acquire the troubled bank.

WTI does not catch a break, and the heavy downfall suggests intense pessimism among investors, as oil prices often serve as a growth barometer.

During the weekend, the Federal Reserve (Fed) opened its swap line from Monday onward until April. It's a channel through which other central banks obtain US Dollars on short-term maturity in exchange for local currency. Subsequently, this excess USD reserve is accessed by commercial banks to facilitate business operations.

Oil prices are reflecting global growth concerns amid adversity led by banking turmoil. Some reports suggest that two European commercial banks are under scrutiny for possible contagion.

On the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) front, falling prices, despite all efforts from the said group, are causing trouble for OPEC. Earlier, some comments from Iraq’s Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani and OPEC Secretary General Haitham Al Ghais stressed the need to coordinate among oil-exporting nations to ensure prices do not fluctuate and impact both exporter and consumer countries.

A continuous deterioration in the global banking sector could lead the WTI price to approach the $60 mark.

Levels to watch