WTI drops to near $76.50 due to negative sentiment surrounding the global economy

• WTI price extends its losing streak as global stock markets affect risk assets.

• China’s growth concerns have added further downward pressure on Oil prices.

• EIA US Crude Oil Stocks Change marked the fourth straight decline but failed to hold Oil prices.

West Texas Intermediate (WTI) Oil price continues to decline for the sixth successive session, trading around $76.70 per barrel during the Asian hours on Thursday. Crude Oil prices are under pressure due to negative sentiment in global stock markets affecting risk assets. US stock indices have decreased as technology stocks suffered more losses, exacerbated by disappointing quarterly earnings from major US tech companies Tesla and Alphabet.

Meanwhile, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported a decrease of 3.741 million barrels in US Crude Oil Stocks Change for the week ending July 19, marking the fourth straight decline, against the expected increase of 0.70 million barrels. Despite this reduction in US crude inventories, crude Oil prices are being pressured by weakening demand in China and the anticipation of a ceasefire in the Middle East.

Sluggish economic activity in China, the largest crude importer, has added further downward pressure on Oil prices. China's Q2 growth was 4.7%, the weakest increase since early 2023. Concerns about the weak Chinese economy were intensified by an unexpected rate cut from the People's Bank of China (PBoC) on Monday. The PBoC reduced the one-year Medium-term Lending Facility (MLF) rate from 2.50% to 2.30% on Thursday. Additionally, the Bank of China, one of the world's largest banks, announced a 10-20 basis points cut in time deposit rates.

A surge of optimism surrounding potential ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas has eased the threat of supply disruption, which weakens the prices of the black Gold. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has hinted that a ceasefire agreement, which could lead to the release of several hostages in Gaza, might be in the works. In a speech to US Congress on Wednesday, Netanyahu presented a broad vision for a "deradicalized" Gaza after the war and emphasized the potential for a future partnership between Israel and America's Arab allies, as reported by Reuters.

WTI Oil FAQs

What is WTI Oil?

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.

What factors drive the price of WTI Oil?

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.

How does inventory data impact the price of WTI Oil

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.

How does OPEC influence the price of WTI Oil?

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.