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WTI Oil Rebounds to $71.50 Amid Rising Supply Concerns

WTI Oil Rebounds to $71.50 Amid Rising

WTI Oil Rebounds to $71.50 Amid Rising Supply Concerns

West Texas Intermediate (WTI) Oil has rebounded from recent losses, trading around $71.60 per barrel during Thursday’s Asian session. This recovery is largely driven by concerns over potential supply disruptions due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Tensions in the region continue to influence investor sentiment, with fears of supply chain interruptions helping to buoy crude oil prices.

On Wednesday, Israeli strikes targeted southern Beirut, while US Secretary of State Antony Blinken toured the region, advocating for a ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon. Meanwhile, Iran-backed Hezbollah intensified its attacks on Israel, deploying “precision missiles” and new drone types aimed at Israeli targets. According to Reuters, Hezbollah also claimed responsibility for striking an Israeli military factory near Tel Aviv.

Despite these geopolitical tensions, oil prices were under pressure earlier in the week following a larger-than-expected build in US crude oil inventories. The US Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported an increase of 5.474 million barrels in oil stockpiles, pushing total inventories to 426 million barrels for the week ending October 18. This was significantly higher than the anticipated rise of 0.7 million barrels and was attributed to increased imports and a surprise uptick in gasoline inventories after refineries resumed production post-maintenance.

At the same time, the US Dollar Index (DXY), which measures the greenback’s performance against six major currencies, surged to its highest level since late July, reaching 104.57 on Wednesday. The stronger USD tends to dampen demand for dollar-denominated commodities like oil, adding further pressure to prices.

Meanwhile, signs of economic resilience and rising inflation have lowered expectations of a substantial rate cut by the Federal Reserve in November. Higher interest rates could increase borrowing costs, potentially slowing the US economy—the world’s largest oil consumer—and reducing demand for oil.