Brent rose to 70.45 USD/Bbl on July 14, 2025, up 0.12% from the previous day. Over the past month, Brent's price has fallen 3.80%, and is down 16.98% compared to the same time last year, according to trading on a contract for difference (CFD) that tracks the benchmark market for this commodity. Brent crude oil - values, historical data, forecasts and news - updated on July of 2025.

The dated Brent spot price is an important benchmark used in the oil industry to determine the price of crude oil. It represents the cost of a specific type of crude oil, known as Brent, at a particular time and location. This article explores the significance of the dated Brent spot price, its role in pricing contracts and hedging risk, and the various factors that influence it.

Interactive daily chart of Brent (Europe) crude oil prices over the last ten years. Values shown are daily closing prices.

As of May 2025, the average annual price of Brent crude oil stood at 72 U.S. dollars per barrel. This is some eight U.S. dollars lower than the 2024 average. Brent is the world's leading price benchmark for Atlantic basin crude oils. Crude oil is one of the most closely observed commodity prices as it influences costs across all stages of the production process and consequently alters the price of consumer goods as well. What determines crude oil benchmarks? In the past decade, crude oil prices have been especially volatile. Their inherent inelasticity regarding short-term changes in demand and supply means that oil prices are erratic by nature. However, since the 2009 financial crisis, many commercial developments have greatly contributed to price volatility; such as economic growth by BRIC countries like China and India, and the advent of hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling in the U.S. The outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war are examples of geopolitical events dictating prices. Light crude oils - Brent and WTI Brent Crude is considered a classification of sweet light crude oil and acts as a benchmark price for oil around the world. It is considered a sweet light crude oil due to its low sulfur content and a low density and may be easily refined into gasoline. This oil originates in the North Sea and comprises several different oil blends, including Brent Blend and Ekofisk crude. Often, this crude oil is refined in Northwest Europe. Another sweet light oil often referenced alongside UK Brent is West Texas Intermediate (WTI). WTI oil prices amounted to 76.55 U.S. dollars per barrel in 2024.

In May 2025, the average price of one barrel of Brent crude oil was 64.45 U.S. dollars. This was nearly four U.S. dollars below prices the previous month and the lowest value in the past 24-month period, as demand for oil was expected to stagnate in the coming months. Brent terminology and most common uses Brent is the world's leading price benchmark for Atlantic basin crude oils. It is used to price two thirds of the internationally traded crude oil supplies and is also the most significant crude oil benchmark for Europe. Brent crude originates in the North Sea and includes oils from Brent and Forties Oil Field in the United Kingdom, and from the Oseborg and Ekofisk oil fields, both oil reserves in Norway. Other names for Brent are Brent Blend, London Brent and Brent petroleum. The name Brent comes from the Brent oil field, located north-east of the Shetland Islands, and thus part of the United Kingdom. Because the Brent oil field already passed its production peak, today the benchmark Brent includes oil from the other three major oil fields. Brent, next to West Texas Intermediate (WTI), is one of the lightest crude oils. With a low content of sulfur, it is ranged among the so-called sweet crude oils. Most of the Brent crude oil is refined into gasoline and middle distillates in Northwest Europe. Benchmark oil prices Other crucial benchmarks for crude oil prices are the already mentioned U.S.- WTI and Dubai Crude (Fateh). They are indispensable for referencing the many types and grades of oil on the global market. In the past 20 years, the annual price for one barrel of Brent crude oil saw a net increase. For example, the average price per barrel stood at 80.53 U.S. dollars in 2024.

On July 7, 2025, the Brent crude oil price stood at 69.62 U.S. dollars per barrel, compared to 67.93 U.S. dollars for WTI oil and 69.92 U.S. dollars for the OPEC basket. Prices rose slightly that week, following signs of an increase in demand.Europe's Brent crude oil, the U.S. WTI crude oil, and OPEC's basket are three of the most important benchmarks used by traders as reference for oil and gasoline prices. Lowest ever oil prices during coronavirus pandemic In 2020, the coronavirus pandemic resulted in crude oil prices hitting a major slump as oil demand drastically declined following lockdowns and travel restrictions. Initial outlooks and uncertainty surrounding the course of the pandemic brought about a disagreement between two of the largest oil producers, Russia and Saudi Arabia, in early March. Bilateral talks between global oil producers ended in agreement on April 13th, with promises to cut petroleum output and hopes rising that these might help stabilize the oil price in the coming weeks. However, with storage facilities and oil tankers quickly filling up, fears grew over where to store excess oil, leading to benchmark prices seeing record negative prices between April 20 and April 22, 2020. How crude oil prices are determined As with most commodities, crude oil prices are impacted by supply and demand, as well as inventories and market sentiment. However, as oil is most often traded in future contracts (whereby a contract is agreed upon, while the product delivery will follow in the next two to three months), market speculation is one of the principal determinants for oil prices. Traders make conclusions on how production output and consumer demand will likely develop over the coming months, leaving room for uncertainty. Spot prices differ from futures in so far as they reflect the current market price of a commodity.

This dataset contains information about world's spot oil prices for 1972-2020. Data from BP. Follow datasource.kapsarc.org for timely data to advance energy economics research. Notes:
* 1972 - 1985 Arabian Light, 1986 - 2020 Dubai dated.

† 1976 -1983 Forties, 1984 -2020 Brent dated.‡ 1976 -1983 Posted WTI prices, 1984 - 2020 Spot WTI (Cushing) prices.

Graph and download economic data for Global price of Brent Crude (POILBREUSDM) from Jan 1990 to May 2025 about crude, oil, World, and price.

Crude Oil rose to 68.75 USD/Bbl on July 11, 2025, up 3.27% from the previous day. Over the past month, Crude Oil's price has risen 1.04%, but it is still 16.37% lower than a year ago, according to trading on a contract for difference (CFD) that tracks the benchmark market for this commodity. Crude Oil - values, historical data, forecasts and news - updated on July of 2025.