- WTI kicks off the new week on a subdued note and reacts little to Iran’s attack on Israel.
- Worries about cooling fuel demand turn out to be a key factor capping the black liquid.
- The risk of a further escalation of tensions in the Middle East to help limit the downside.
West Texas Intermediate (WTI) US crude Oil prices fail to lure buyers despite Iran's attack on Israel over the weekend and seesaws between tepid gains/minor losses during the Asian session on Monday. The commodity currently trades just below the $85.00/barrel mark, nearly unchanged for the day as traders now await Israel's response to the Iranian strike before placing fresh directional bets.
Iran launched explosive drones and missiles at Israel late on Saturday in retaliation for a suspected Israeli attack on its consulate in Syria earlier this month. This marks the first attack on Israel from another country in more than three decades and raises the risk of a broader region conflict, which could affect Oil supply from the Middle East. Meanwhile, Israeli officials are in favor of retaliation, though the US has said that it will not take part in any offensive action against Iran. This, in turn, is seen as a key reason behind the muted market reaction and acts as a headwind for Crude Oil prices.
The black liquid is further undermined by the fact that the International Energy Agency lowered the 2024 global oil demand growth forecast by 130,000 bpd to 1.2 million barrels per day (bpd) on Friday. This comes on top of the official US data published by the Energy Information Administration last week, which showed an unexpected build in gasoline inventories and pointed to signs of cooling in fuel demand. Furthermore, bets that the Federal Reserve (Fed) may delay cutting interest rates in the wake of still-sticky inflation could hamper economic activity and dent fuel consumption.
Nevertheless, the aforementioned mixed fundamental backdrop keeps traders on the sidelines and leads to subdued/range-bound price action on the first day of a new week. WTI Crude Oil prices, meanwhile, remain well within the striking distance of a multi-month peak, around the $87.10-$87.15 area touched on April 5, which should act as a key pivotal point. A sustained strength beyond will be seen as a fresh trigger for bullish traders and set the stage for an extension of the recent well-established uptrend witnessed over the past month or so.
Information on these pages contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Markets and instruments profiled on this page are for informational purposes only and should not in any way come across as a recommendation to buy or sell in these assets. You should do your own thorough research before making any investment decisions. FXStreet does not in any way guarantee that this information is free from mistakes, errors, or material misstatements. It also does not guarantee that this information is of a timely nature. Investing in Open Markets involves a great deal of risk, including the loss of all or a portion of your investment, as well as emotional distress. All risks, losses and costs associated with investing, including total loss of principal, are your responsibility. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of FXStreet nor its advertisers. The author will not be held responsible for information that is found at the end of links posted on this page.
If not otherwise explicitly mentioned in the body of the article, at the time of writing, the author has no position in any stock mentioned in this article and no business relationship with any company mentioned. The author has not received compensation for writing this article, other than from FXStreet.
FXStreet and the author do not provide personalized recommendations. The author makes no representations as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability of this information. FXStreet and the author will not be liable for any errors, omissions or any losses, injuries or damages arising from this information and its display or use. Errors and omissions excepted.
The author and FXStreet are not registered investment advisors and nothing in this article is intended to be investment advice.
Recommended content
Editors’ Picks
EUR/USD treads water just above 1.0400 post-US data
Another sign of the good health of the US economy came in response to firm flash US Manufacturing and Services PMIs, which in turn reinforced further the already strong performance of the US Dollar, relegating EUR/USD to the 1.0400 neighbourhood on Friday.
GBP/USD remains depressed near 1.2520 on stronger Dollar
Poor results from the UK docket kept the British pound on the back foot on Thursday, hovering around the low-1.2500s in a context of generalized weakness in the risk-linked galaxy vs. another outstanding day in the Greenback.
Gold keeps the bid bias unchanged near $2,700
Persistent safe haven demand continues to prop up the march north in Gold prices so far on Friday, hitting new two-week tops past the key $2,700 mark per troy ounce despite extra strength in the Greenback and mixed US yields.
Geopolitics back on the radar
Rising tensions between Russia and Ukraine caused renewed unease in the markets this week. Putin signed an amendment to Russian nuclear doctrine, which allows Russia to use nuclear weapons for retaliating against strikes carried out with conventional weapons.
Eurozone PMI sounds the alarm about growth once more
The composite PMI dropped from 50 to 48.1, once more stressing growth concerns for the eurozone. Hard data has actually come in better than expected recently – so ahead of the December meeting, the ECB has to figure out whether this is the PMI crying wolf or whether it should take this signal seriously. We think it’s the latter.
Best Forex Brokers with Low Spreads
VERIFIED Low spreads are crucial for reducing trading costs. Explore top Forex brokers offering competitive spreads and high leverage. Compare options for EUR/USD, GBP/USD, USD/JPY, and Gold.