Oil Market Ends Volatile Week Mixed as Emergency Reserve Release Offers Relief
The oil market ended a volatile week mixed, with WTI crude settling at $91.11 per barrel, down 1.90% from Thursday's $92.87 settlement. Brent crude, however, remained resilient, closing at $102.25, only 0.06% lower than Thursday's $102.31.
The emergency reserve release announced by European governments and the G7/IEA plan to release 100 million barrels of diesel and other emergency stocks helped alleviate some pressure in the market that had surged on Thursday due to China's fuel-export suspension and renewed U.S.-Iran military concerns.
The Brent-WTI spread finished at approximately $11.14 per barrel, with Brent holding its premium over WTI.