Oil Plunges by Over 6% after OPEC Output Hike Announcement
Oil prices dropped over 6% on Thursday, with WTI crude falling to $67 per barrel, after eight OPEC+ countries unexpectedly announced they would increase oil production by 411,000 barrels per day in May, far more than the planned 135,000 bpd. OPEC cited strong market fundamentals but said future increases could be paused if needed. Oil was already down over 4% after U.S. President Trump announced new tariffs, sparking fears of a global trade war that could slow economic growth and reduce fuel demand. While oil imports were exempt, investors worried the tariffs could still hurt the economy and inflation. Also, US crude inventories unexpectedly rose by 6.2 million barrels last week, contrary to forecasts of a 2-million-barrel draw, driven by a surge in Canadian imports.