Oil prices choppy and are heading for losing week

President Biden announced a release of 1 million barrels per day for six months starting in May

Oil prices fell Friday ahead of a meeting of consuming nations to discuss a new release of emergency oil reserves alongside the release announced by the United States.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate hovered below $100 per barrel, while Brent, the global benchmark traded around $103. 

Ticker Security Last Change Change %
USO UNITED STATES OIL FUND - USD ACC 73.20 +1.18 +1.64%
BNO UNITED STATES BRENT OIL FUND - USD ACC 29.57 +0.45 +1.55%

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The two benchmark contracts were headed for a weekly loss of around 13%, their biggest in two years.

FILE PHOTO: Storage tanks are seen at Marathon Petroleum's Los Angeles Refinery, which processes domestic & imported crude oil. Picture taken with a drone. (REUTERS/Bing Guan / Reuters Photos)

International Energy Agency (IEA) member countries are set to meet on Friday to discuss a further emergency oil release.

President Biden on Thursday announced a release of 1 million barrels per day for six months starting in May. 

The aim is to make up for disrupted oil supplies from Russia, hit by sanctions following its invasion of Ukraine. 

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The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies including Russia, together called OPEC+, stuck to plans to add a modest 432,000 barrels per day of supply in May. Other countries had pressured members to use their spare capacity to boost output further.