Crude oil traded mixed during the session as traders assessed the impact of supply measures from OPEC+ and its de facto leader Saudi Arabia.
WTI gained approximately 0.1%, settling near $62 per barrel, managing to achieve a third consecutive day of gains. OPEC and its allies, including Russia, decided over the weekend to increase production by 137,000 barrels per day, while Saudi Arabia kept its key crude prices to Asia unchanged, signaling a cautious approach that surprised traders who had anticipated increases.
"OPEC+'s November production increase plan is quite modest," said Edward Bell, Acting Chief Economist and Head of Group Research at Emirates NBD. "The market will continue to watch for signs of inventory builds."
Oil weakened for two consecutive months in August and September, with markets concerned about impending oversupply. OPEC+ has continued to increase production in recent months, attempting to reclaim market share even as competitors in the Americas boost output. Traders are also monitoring Ukrainian attacks on Russian energy facilities, worried about potential supply disruptions.
Over the past four weeks, Russian seaborne crude exports reached near 16-month highs as drone attacks on refineries forced supplies to be redirected to export terminals, pressuring effective capacity. Meanwhile, the European Union continues to advance sanctions measures that will further constrain Russian energy exports.
WTI November crude futures rose 0.1%, settling at $61.73 per barrel.
Brent December crude futures settled down 0.03% at $65.45 per barrel.