Brent updates hourly during trading hours; gold and China fuel prices update once daily.
Data source: Daily Updated Brent Crude Oil, Gold, Fuel & Currency Rates
WTI is the benchmark crude for the United States and the second most quoted oil price in the world after Brent. It is quoted in US dollars per barrel and refreshed while US markets are trading.
West Texas Intermediate is a light, sweet crude grade produced primarily in the US Permian Basin and the mid-continent. It is very light and very low in sulphur — arguably the highest quality of the major benchmarks — which makes it especially attractive to refineries configured for gasoline production. Despite the name, it is no longer produced only in Texas; the grade now describes a specification rather than a single geographic source.
The WTI futures contract settles at Cushing, Oklahoma — an inland hub where dozens of pipelines converge and hundreds of storage tanks sit. That concentration of infrastructure makes it the natural pricing point for US inland crude. But it is also WTI's structural weakness: oil sitting in Cushing must leave by pipeline, and when those pipelines are full the local price can fall out of step with the seaborne international market.
Both are light sweet crudes, so over long periods their prices move together. The gap between them is not a mistake — it reflects real differences in logistics. Brent can be loaded directly onto tankers in the North Sea and shipped anywhere, so it tracks the global seaborne market. WTI is priced inland in the American mid-continent, so it responds more sharply to US pipeline capacity, Cushing inventory levels and domestic shale output.
The difference between the two prices is one of the most watched numbers in energy. When Brent trades well above WTI, it usually means US crude is trapped inland by pipeline constraints or a supply glut. When the gap narrows, it often signals that export capacity has expanded or that global supply has tightened. Reading the two together gives a far clearer picture of the oil market than either price alone.
It is the main reference for US crude, but pump prices also depend on refining costs, distribution, taxes and regional supply. WTI tells you what the raw crude costs, not what the finished fuel costs.
It often is, but not always. WTI is priced at an inland hub rather than a seaport, so it is more sensitive to US pipeline bottlenecks and domestic inventory. A wide gap generally reflects a logistics constraint rather than a difference in oil quality.
The figure is collected while markets are trading and cached for fast delivery. Markets close at weekends, so the most recent trading day level is shown until trading resumes.
Two light sweet crudes, two different prices — and the gap is not an error. It is a running read on pipelines, exports and how freely oil can move around the world.
WTI crudeWTI is the US oil benchmark, deliverable in a small Oklahoma town called Cushing. Understanding that inland hub explains why WTI and global prices often move apart.
Brent crude and gold prices are sourced from public market data providers (OilPriceAPI, MetalpriceAPI). China retail fuel prices come from ShowAPI. Rates are collected on a daily schedule and cached on a global edge network.
The prices and rates shown here are reference figures for general information only. They are not exchange settlement prices and must not be used for trading, settlement, accounting or any investment decision. Figures may be delayed and may differ from those quoted by your bank, broker or local retailer.