WTI Holds Steady Around $75, Poised for Second Consecutive Weekly Gain

West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil prices remain flat around the $75 per barrel mark during the Asian session on Friday, struggling to build on the previous day’s gains. Despite this pause, WTI is still on track to register its second straight weekly increase.

Concerns over a potential Israeli strike on Iranian oil infrastructure continue to elevate geopolitical risks, providing support to oil prices. Earlier this week, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant warned that any attack on Iran would be “lethal, precise, and surprising,” keeping a risk premium priced into the market. In addition, fears of supply disruptions from Hurricane Milton in the U.S. and an optimistic demand outlook contribute to oil’s resilience.

Investor sentiment has been buoyed by hopes that China’s extensive stimulus measures will help revive the world’s second-largest economy, boosting fuel demand in the largest oil-importing nation. Furthermore, expectations that the Federal Reserve (Fed) will continue to cut interest rates have sparked optimism that this will fuel economic growth and, in turn, increase demand for crude oil.

However, stronger-than-expected U.S. inflation data has raised concerns about how aggressively the Fed will lower rates, which limits oil’s upside potential. Additionally, the U.S. dollar’s recent rally—propelled by reduced expectations of aggressive Fed policy easing—acts as a headwind for crude oil, as a stronger dollar makes oil more expensive for holders of other currencies.

Despite these factors, WTI remains on course to log another weekly gain. However, caution is warranted after a sharp pullback from the $78 level earlier this week, which was a near two-month high. This suggests some uncertainty about whether the recovery from September’s year-to-date low will continue.