Oil is trading in opposite directions on the international market this morning.

At 8:50 am (Brasilia time) this Wednesday (18), the April contract of oil WTI recorded a sharp drop of 1.41% in New York Mercantile Exchange (Nymex), quoted at US$ 94.86/barrel. So far this week, the contract has accumulated a loss of 4.10%. 

The May due date for the Brent It was advancing 0.43% in Intercontinental Exchange (ICE), trading at US$103.86/barrel. So far this week, the futures contract has gained 0.70%. 

In the last trading session (17), the energy commodity advanced 3.32% on the Nymex, to US$ 95.53/barrel, and 3.20% on the ICE, to US$ 103.42/barrel. 

Weighing on the prices, the North Oil Company reported that the government of Iraq and from Türkiye They reached an agreement for the country of Persian Gulf export oil, via a pipeline, to the Turkish port of Ceyhanno Mediterranean. 

Two sources close to Reuters They said that Iraq wants to bomb at least 100 thousand barrels per day (bpd) through the port. 

Meanwhile, the American Petroleum Institute (API) reported that US oil inventories They advanced 6.6 million barrels last week.The API data is considered a preview of the official figures. Energy Information Agency (EIA), which will be released today.

However, prices were supported by the market's lack of prospects for a possible de-escalation of the… conflict in the Middle East. o Iran The day before, he confirmed the death of his head of security. Ali Larijani, after an attack by IsraelThe official was the highest-ranking figure in the Iranian administration to be targeted since the bombing that assassinated the country's former supreme leader. Ali Khamenei. 

Furthermore, the army of United States It reported that it is attacking targets along the Persian coast, near Strait of Hormuz. 

This text was translated by machine from Brazilian Portuguese.