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West Texas Intermediate — the main US benchmark price for crude oil. It usually trades a little below Brent, the international benchmark, and reflects US supply and demand more directly.
Why It Matters
WTI is the price you most often see quoted for US oil and it underlies many US energy investments. Comparing WTI to Brent is a quick way to read whether an oil move is a global supply story (both rise together) or a more local US one (the gap between them widens or narrows).
Key Points
- WTI = US benchmark; Brent = international benchmark.
- The Brent–WTI spread signals global vs US-specific pressures.
- Both are "light, sweet" crude grades, which is why they track closely.
Related Terms
Common Questions
West Texas Intermediate — the main US benchmark price for crude oil. It usually trades a little below Brent, the international benchmark, and reflects US supply and demand more directly. WTI is the price you most often see quoted for US oil and it underlies many US energy investments. Comparing WTI to Brent is a quick way to read whether an oil move is a global supply story (both rise together) or a more local US one (the gap between them widens or narrows).
WTI is the price you most often see quoted for US oil and it underlies many US energy investments. Comparing WTI to Brent is a quick way to read whether an oil move is a global supply story (both rise together) or a more local US one (the gap between them widens or narrows).
WTI = US benchmark; Brent = international benchmark.
The Brent–WTI spread signals global vs US-specific pressures.
Both are "light, sweet" crude grades, which is why they track closely.