- OPEC+ cuts global oil demand forecast by 210K barrels per day for this year.
- For 2025, the demand forecast is trimmed further by 90K barrels per day.
- WTI crude reacts with a modest rise to $69.59 per barrel following the updated demand outlook from OPEC+.
The Organization of Petroleum Exporter Countries and its allies, known as OPEC+, updated its forecast, expecting less demand for Crude due to the ongoing economic slowdown in China, India, and other regions.
OPEC+ revises demand projections downward, cites sluggish economic activity In China and India
OPEC’s global oil demand was revised down by 210K barrels per day (BPD) from November’s estimated 1.82 million to 1.61 million BPD YoY. For 2025, demand was cut by 90K BPD from the previous month's projections of 1.5 million BPD to 1.4 million YoY.
The OPEC noted, “The bulk of this revision is made in the third quarter, taking into account recently received bearish data for the third quarter.” The cartel added that China’s demand for oil shrunk by 81K BPD YoY.
OPEC cut its 2025 global oil demand growth estimate to 1.45 million bpd from 1.54 million bpd.
US Crude Oil, known as West Texas Intermediate (WTI), jumped on the headline from around $69.00 per barrel to its daily high of $69.59.
WTI Oil FAQs
WTI Oil is a type of Crude Oil sold on international markets. The WTI stands for West Texas Intermediate, one of three major types including Brent and Dubai Crude. WTI is also referred to as “light” and “sweet” because of its relatively low gravity and sulfur content respectively. It is considered a high quality Oil that is easily refined. It is sourced in the United States and distributed via the Cushing hub, which is considered “The Pipeline Crossroads of the World”. It is a benchmark for the Oil market and WTI price is frequently quoted in the media.
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.
The weekly Oil inventory reports published by the American Petroleum Institute (API) and the Energy Information Agency (EIA) impact the price of WTI Oil. Changes in inventories reflect fluctuating supply and demand. If the data shows a drop in inventories it can indicate increased demand, pushing up Oil price. Higher inventories can reflect increased supply, pushing down prices. API’s report is published every Tuesday and EIA’s the day after. Their results are usually similar, falling within 1% of each other 75% of the time. The EIA data is considered more reliable, since it is a government agency.
OPEC (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries) is a group of 12 Oil-producing nations who collectively decide production quotas for member countries at twice-yearly meetings. Their decisions often impact WTI Oil prices. When OPEC decides to lower quotas, it can tighten supply, pushing up Oil prices. When OPEC increases production, it has the opposite effect. OPEC+ refers to an expanded group that includes ten extra non-OPEC members, the most notable of which is Russia.
Information on these pages contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Markets and instruments profiled on this page are for informational purposes only and should not in any way come across as a recommendation to buy or sell in these assets. You should do your own thorough research before making any investment decisions. FXStreet does not in any way guarantee that this information is free from mistakes, errors, or material misstatements. It also does not guarantee that this information is of a timely nature. Investing in Open Markets involves a great deal of risk, including the loss of all or a portion of your investment, as well as emotional distress. All risks, losses and costs associated with investing, including total loss of principal, are your responsibility. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of FXStreet nor its advertisers. The author will not be held responsible for information that is found at the end of links posted on this page.
If not otherwise explicitly mentioned in the body of the article, at the time of writing, the author has no position in any stock mentioned in this article and no business relationship with any company mentioned. The author has not received compensation for writing this article, other than from FXStreet.
FXStreet and the author do not provide personalized recommendations. The author makes no representations as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability of this information. FXStreet and the author will not be liable for any errors, omissions or any losses, injuries or damages arising from this information and its display or use. Errors and omissions excepted.
The author and FXStreet are not registered investment advisors and nothing in this article is intended to be investment advice.
Recommended content
Editors’ Picks

EUR/USD declines toward 1.0450 on USD recovery
EUR/USD struggles to gain traction and declines toward 1.0450 on Tuesday despite the upbeat ZEW Survey - Economic Sentiment data for Germany and the Eurozone. Rising US Treasury bond yields support the US Dollar and weigh on the pair.

GBP/USD struggles to hold above1.2600
GBP/USD stays under modest bearish pressure and trades below 1.2600 on Tuesday. Earlier in the day, the pair edged higher with the initial reaction to the UK labor market data, which showed that the Unemployment Rate held steady at 4.4% in the three months to December.

Gold gathers bullish momentum, rises to $2,920 area
Gold builds on Monday's modest gains and rises to the $2,920 area on Tuesday. Markets brace for headlines to come in from Saudi Arabia, where US and Russian officials are meeting for peace talks. Meanwhile, rising US T-bond yields could limit XAU/USD's upside.

Canada CPI set to remain at 1.8% in January, fueling BoC easing stance
This Tuesday, Statistics Canada will unveil its latest inflation report for January, based on data from the Consumer Price Index (CPI). Early forecasts suggest that headline inflation held steady at 1.8% compared with January of last year.

Rates down under
Today all Australian eyes were on the Reserve Bank of Australia, and rates were cut as expected. RBA Michele Bullock said higher interest rates had been working as expected, slowing economic activity and curbing inflation, but warned that Tuesday’s first rate cut since 2020 was not the start of a series of reductions.

The Best Brokers of the Year
SPONSORED Explore top-quality choices worldwide and locally. Compare key features like spreads, leverage, and platforms. Find the right broker for your needs, whether trading CFDs, Forex pairs like EUR/USD, or commodities like Gold.