WTI holds steady near $70.00 as traders brace for Fed rate decision
- WTI price trades on a flat note around $70.20 in Tuesday’s early Asian session.
- Weak Chinese spending data might weigh on the WTI price.
- Geopolitical risks could cap its downside despite bearish market pressure.
West Texas Intermediate (WTI), the US crude oil benchmark, is trading around $70.20 on Tuesday. The WTI price trades flat as traders await the Federal Reserve's (Fed) interest rate decision on Wednesday. However, the concerns over sluggish global demand growth in China might cap the upside for the black gold for the time being.
Chinese November Retail Sales came in slower than expected, raising the fear of weakness in consumer spending in China. This, in turn, undermines the WTI price as China is the world's largest oil importer.
Data released by the National Bureau of Statistics of China showed on Monday that the nation’s Retail Sales rose 3.0% YoY in November versus 4.8% prior, below the market consensus of 4.6%. "It's just a very bearish scenario where there's not a lot hope of demand growth for crude oil," said Bob Yawger, director of energy futures at Mizuho in New York.
Analysts believe the markets might turn cautious, and traders could take profits while awaiting the Federal Reserve's (Fed) interest rate decision on Wednesday. The US Fed is anticipated to cut interest rates by 25 basis points (bps) at the December meeting. Traders will take more cues from the press conference and dot-plot after the monetary policy meeting. Any hawkish remarks from the Fed officials might lift the Greenback and drag the USD-denominated commodity price lower.
On the other hand, the geopolitical risks amid additional sanctions on crude producers Russia and Iran might help limit the WTI’s losses. US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen emphasized the possibility of targeting Chinese banks and “dark fleet” tankers to curb oil revenue funding Russia’s war in Ukraine. Furthermore, heightened sanctions on Iranian crude exports might boost 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 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.