- The oil price rises significantly as airstrikes from the US and its allies on Houthi rebels have deepened supply disruption concerns.
- The likelihood of a retaliation from Iran-backed Houthis is high, which could widespread conflicts in Middle East.
- Investors are optimistic about interest rate cuts by the Fed in March.
West Texas Intermediate (WTI), futures on NYMEX, has climbed strongly to near $74.50 as investors worry about deepening oil supply concerns due to mounting tensions for merchant vessels through Red Sea. The US military has launched multiples airstrikes on Iran-backed Houthi group in retaliation for attacking commercial shipments of oil.
The airstrikes from the US military and its allies are expected to disrupt trade flows through Suez Canal and will also escalate Middle East tensions. A widespread conflict in the Middle East will elevate oil supply disruptions this 2024 and will keep prices of WTI higher.
The upside risks to oil prices have elevated amid a likelihood of oil supply disruption in times when the global economy is recovering from pessimism of restrictive interest rate environment and high price pressures.
Meanwhile, investors’ confidence towards a rate cut by the Federal Reserve (Fed) in March despite higher consumer price inflation has provided some strength to the oil price. A sharp recovery in the global economy is highly anticipated if the Fed plans an early rate cut as predicted by market participants. This will also spurt the global oil demand and eventually its prices.
Going forward, investors will focus on China’s Q4 Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and Industrial Production data for further action. The Chinese economy has been struggling for a firm-footing due to lower export orders and vulnerable domestic demand post Covid. It is worth noting that China is the leading importer of oil in the world and an economic slowdown in the Asian giant impacts the oil price.
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
AUD/USD continues to lose ground amid firmer US Dollar
The AUD/USD continues its losing streak, trading around 0.6580 on Thursday following the Reserve Bank of Australia's less hawkish stance, especially after last week's inflation data exceeded predictions. Nevertheless, the RBA acknowledged that recent progress in controlling inflation has stalled, maintaining its stance of keeping options open.
USD/JPY holds positive ground above 155.50 following the BoJ Summary of Opinions
The USD/JPY pair trades in positive territory for the fourth consecutive day around 155.60 during the Asian trading hours on Thursday. However, the fear of further intervention from the Bank of Japan is likely to cap the downside of the Japanese Yen for the time being.
Gold price gains ground, investors await US data, Fedspeak for fresh catalyst
Gold price trades with a positive bias on Thursday amid the absence of top-tier economic data releases at mid-week. However, multiple headwinds, such as the firmer US Dollar and the hawkish comments from the US Federal Reserve are likely to cap the upside of the precious metal in the near term.
President Biden threatens crypto with possible veto of Bitcoin custody among trusted custodians
Joe Biden could veto legislation that would allow regulated financial institutions to custody Bitcoin and crypto. Biden administration’s stance would disrupt US SEC’s work to protect crypto market investors and efforts to safeguard broader financial system.
US inflation data in the market purview
With next week's pivotal US inflation data looming, we're witnessing a stall in stock market momentum and an uptick in US Treasury yields. This shift comes amid murmurs of hawkish sentiment from Fed speak. Indeed the mind games intensify even further as investors cling to their rate cut hopes.