Oil prices hold near $68 as OPEC+ April supply talk meets softer U.S. inflation
Oil held firm Friday, regaining ground after a softer U.S. inflation print blunted an earlier slide triggered by fresh OPEC+ supply chatter. By 12:22 p.m. ET, Brent crude inched up 11 cents to $67.63 a barrel, while U.S. WTI stuck at $62.84. Both contracts, though, remained on course for weekly declines, still reeling from Thursday’s nearly 3% plunge. “Looks like inflation is stabilizing,” said Dennis Kissler, senior VP of trading at BOK Financial. He pointed out crude’s persistent $5-to-$7-a-barrel “geopolitical premium”—a nod to ongoing disruption risks.
