U.S. Weighs Role of Global Traders in Marketing Venezuelan Crude

The White House has invited senior executives from major commodity traders Vitol and Trafigura for discussions on how to market Venezuelan crude, according to Reuters, signaling a potential shift in U.S. strategy toward Venezuela’s oil sector. While U.S. energy policy has so far emphasized involvement by American oil majors, the inclusion of large European trading houses highlights the importance of global trading expertise in managing and distributing Venezuelan barrels, an outcome that could influence flows and pricing dynamics for both Oil – Brent Crude and Oil – US Crude if sanctions or export frameworks are adjusted.

Over the past month, benchmark futures have been under moderate pressure, with Oil – US Crude down about 4.14% and Oil – Brent Crude lower by roughly 3.44%, reflecting concerns over demand strength and evolving supply expectations from OPEC+, the U.S., and sanctioned producers such as Venezuela. From a short-term technical perspective, both Brent and WTI are flashing cautious signals, with Brent’s 1-day technical stance at Sell and WTI also registering a Sell, suggesting ongoing downside or consolidation risk as markets assess whether any change in Venezuelan exports meaningfully alters the global supply-demand balance. Investors can explore more updates, prices, and analysis across global markets at Commodities.