In February 2025, the price for one barrel of West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil averaged 71.53 U.S. dollars. This was a decrease compared to the previous month amid continued weak demand outlooks and expectations for production increases. WTI and other benchmark crudes WTI is also known as "Texas light sweet", and is a grade of crude oil used as a benchmark for oil produced in the United States. It has an API gravity of around 39.6 and specific gravity of about 0.827, which, relative to other crude oils, is considered “light,” hence the name. WTI also contains about 0.24 percent sulfur, making it a “sweet” crude oil. The price of WTI can be compared to the prices other of crude oils, i.e. UK Brent, the OPEC basket, and Dubai Fateh oil. WTI crude oil is the underlying commodity of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange’s oil futures contracts. U.S. oil production and its influence on light oil prices The price development of WTI crude oil relative to Brent crude oil has been influenced by variances in U.S. crude oil transportation and increased U.S. oil production. New transportation infrastructure became operational in early 2013, easing the movement of crude oil in the mid-continent and raising the price of WTI. Since then, U.S. refineries have increased production of crude oil to record levels, also raising the price of WTI. Meanwhile, expedited crude transport in the U.S. put downward pressure on Brent crude oil as domestic crude replaced some imported Brent crude. Between 2014 and 2016, UK Brent prices dropped rapidly, as was the case for all other crude oils.

The 2025 preliminary average annual price of West Texas Intermediate crude oil reached 73.64 U.S. dollars per barrel, as of February. This would be lower than the 2024 average, which stood at 73.64 U.S. dollars per barrel. WTI and other benchmarks WTI is a grade of crude oil also known as “Texas light sweet.” It is measured to have an API gravity of around 39.6 and specific gravity of about 0.83, which is considered “light” relative to other crude oils. This oil also contains roughly 0.24 percent sulfur, and is therefore named “sweet.” Crude oils are some of the most closely observed commodity prices in the world. WTI is the underlying commodity of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange’s oil futures contracts. The price of other crude oils, such as UK Brent crude oil, the OPEC crude oil basket, and Dubai Fateh oil, can be compared to that of WTI crude oil. Since 1976, the price of WTI crude oil has increased notably, rising from just 12.23 U.S. dollars per barrel in 1976 to a peak of 99.06 dollars per barrel in 2008. Geopolitical conflicts and their impact on oil prices The price of oil is controlled in part by limiting oil production. Prior to 1971, the Texas Railroad Commission controlled the price of oil by setting limits on production of U.S. oil. In 1971, the Texas Railroad Commission ceased limiting production, but OPEC, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries with member states Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Venezuela among others, continued to do so. In 1972, due to geopolitical conflict, OPEC set an oil embargo and cut oil production, causing prices to quadruple by 1974. Oil prices rose again in 1979 and 1980 due to the Iranian revolution, and doubled between 1978 and 1981 as the Iran-Iraq War prevented oil production. A number of geopolitical conflicts and periods of increased production and consumption have influenced the price of oil since then.

On March 24, 2025, the Brent crude oil price stood at 73.05 U.S. dollars per barrel, compared to 69.11 U.S. dollars for WTI oil and 75.11 U.S. dollars for the OPEC basket. These were slight increases compared to the previous weeks, which had seen some of the lowest prices in four years.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.

Crude oil trading price refers to the value at which crude oil is bought and sold in financial markets. Factors affecting crude oil prices include supply and demand, OPEC policies, geopolitical events, economic indicators, and market speculation. Crude oil is primarily traded on the NYMEX and ICE exchanges. Changes in crude oil prices impact consumers, producers, investors, and the global economy. Understanding these factors is crucial for analyzing and predicting crude oil price movements.

The Dow Jones Crude Oil price is an important benchmark for the global oil market. It reflects the performance of crude oil as traded on the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX), a leading commodities exchange. The Dow Jones Crude Oil price is generally quoted in US dollars per barrel and tracks the price of West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil, which is the major benchmark for oil prices in the United States. WTI crude oil is known for its high quality and is used as a reference for pricing oil in North

The annual price of West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil is expected to reach an average of 70.62 U.S. dollars per barrel in 2025, according to a February 2025 forecast. This would be a decrease of roughly six U.S. dollar compared to the previous year. In the first few weeks of 2025, weekly crude oil prices largely stayed below 75 U.S. dollars per barrel. What are benchmark crudes? WTI is often used as a price reference point called a benchmark (or ”marker”) crude. This category includes Brent crude from the North Sea, Dubai Crude, as well as blends in the OPEC reference basket. WTI, Brent, and the OPEC basket have tended to trade closely, but since 2011, Brent has been selling at a higher annual spot price than WTI, largely due to increased oil production in the United States. What causes price volatility? Oil prices are historically volatile. While mostly shaped by demand and supply like all consumer goods, they may also be affected by production limits, a change in U.S. dollar value, and to an extent by market speculation. In 2022, the annual average price for WTI was close to the peak of nearly 100 U.S. dollars recorded in 2008. In the latter year, multiple factors, such as strikes in Nigeria, an oil sale stop in Venezuela, and the continuous increase in oil demand from China were partly responsible for the price surge. Higher oil prices allowed the pursuit of extraction methods previously deemed too expensive and risky, such as shale gas and tight oil production in the U.S. The widespread practice of fracturing source rocks for oil and gas extraction led to the oil glut in 2016 and made the U.S. the largest oil producer in the world.

The EIA WTI oil price refers to the price of crude oil that is traded on the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX) and is used as a benchmark in determining the prices of other types of crude oil worldwide. This article explores the characteristics of WTI crude oil, its role as a key pricing mechanism, and the importance of the EIA (Energy Information Administration) in providing data and reports on the oil market. It also highlights the factors influencing the price of WTI crude oil and how it is used by ma

WTI Crude trading refers to the buying and selling of WTI crude oil futures contracts on commodity exchanges like the NYMEX. This article explores how traders use various strategies to analyze and predict the price movements of WTI crude oil, the standard contract size and price quoting, as well as the factors that influence WTI crude oil prices.

The US Crude Oil Futures Price serves as a benchmark for the price of oil worldwide and is influenced by factors such as supply and demand, geopolitical events, and economic factors. Learn more about how this forward contract is traded on the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX) and how it attracts a wide range of participants.

NYMEX is a commodity futures exchange operating as part of the CME Group and primarily trades energy and metal contracts. NYMEX is known for trading futures contracts for crude oil, natural gas, heating oil, gasoline, and other energy products, as well as contracts for metals such as gold, silver, copper, and aluminum.

US Crude Oil Futures are contracts traded on the NYMEX that allow participants to buy or sell crude oil at a predetermined price for future delivery. The futures market provides opportunities for hedging, speculation, and portfolio diversification, but it also involves substantial risks due to price volatility.

Natural gas increased 0.21 USD/MMBtu or 5.84% since the beginning of 2025, according to trading on a contract for difference (CFD) that tracks the benchmark market for this commodity. Natural gas - values, historical data, forecasts and news - updated on March of 2025.

The CL symbol represents the US Crude Oil futures contract, which is traded on NYMEX and ICE. Learn about its importance, trading specifications, and how investors monitor its price.

The WTI oil market refers to the trading of West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil futures contracts. WTI is a type of crude oil that serves as a benchmark for oil prices in the United States. It is one of the most actively traded commodities in the world. Learn more about the WTI oil market, its operation through the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX), and the various factors that influence its prices.

The West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil market is a major benchmark for global oil prices. This article discusses the factors that influence the WTI market, including supply and demand dynamics, geopolitical events, and global economic factors. It also explains how the price of WTI is determined through trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX). The WTI market is closely monitored by traders, investors, and industry participants as it serves as a crucial indicator for energy companies, oil pro