Oil Posts Sharpest Monthly Drop Since 2021
WTI crude oil futures sank 3.7% to settle at $58.20 per barrel on Wednesday, posting their sharpest monthly drop since late 2021 with an 18% decline amid mounting concerns over a global supply glut and weakening demand. Prices were pressured by Saudi Arabia’s signal to increase production and recapture market share, while OPEC+ is reportedly weighing additional output hikes at its May 5 meeting, stoking fears of a renewed price war. Trade tensions between the US and China further clouded the demand outlook, compounded by a first-quarter contraction in the US economy and a sharp drop in consumer confidence. Despite the bearish sentiment, a surprise drawdown in US crude inventories—down 2.7 million barrels last week—helped limit further losses.