West Texas Intermediate (WTI), the US crude oil benchmark, is trading around $70.80 during the early Asian session on Tuesday. The WTI price extends the recovery amid concerns of near-term supply tightness.
The United States (US) imposed a fresh round of sanctions, the Treasury and State Departments announced on Monday, targeting companies and individuals, including the head of Iran's national oil company. This might add to concerns of near-term supply tightness, weighing on the WTI price.
On the other hand, traders will closely monitor the developments surrounding further tariff policies from US President Donald Trump. Concerns over a potential global trade war could limit further gains for black gold. US President Donald Trump said Monday that sweeping US tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico "will go forward" when a month-long delay on their implementation expires next week.
Additionally, the thaw in US-Russian ties as well as possible peace talks on the Russia-Ukraine war might exert some selling pressure on the WTI price. This could eventually lead to reduced sanctions on Russia and the full resumption of Russian oil exports.
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.
Source: Fxstreet
