The quotes above are live crude oil prices, streaming in real time while the market is open. The top chart is WTI — the US benchmark, quoted in US dollars per barrel — and below it are Brent, the international benchmark, and the WTI–Brent spread between them. Everything on this page updates tick by tick from TradingView market data; nothing here is a delayed end-of-day snapshot.
If you only need the US number, the live USOIL price and chart covers WTI on its own. For the wider market — energy ETFs, futures curves and related commodities — start from the US oil price homepage.
Which Live Price Should You Watch?
"The crude oil price" is not a single number. Several closely related quotes circulate at once, and knowing which one you are looking at explains most of the discrepancies you will see between websites.
| Quote | What it measures | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| WTI spot (USOIL) | Continuous cash price for West Texas Intermediate, derived from front-month futures | The everyday "US oil price" quoted in the news |
| WTI futures (CL1!) | The nearest-expiry NYMEX contract, 1,000 barrels, delivered at Cushing, Oklahoma | Where the price is actually discovered and settled |
| Brent spot (UKOIL) | North Sea light sweet crude, the international benchmark | Pricing most internationally traded barrels |
| WTI–Brent spread | The difference between the two benchmarks | Gauging US export economics and pipeline pressure |
A gap of a few cents between two live feeds is normal — providers apply their own spreads. A gap of a dollar or more almost always means one source is quoting a different contract month, or Brent rather than WTI.
Real-Time Oil Market Hours
Crude oil trades on CME/NYMEX nearly around the clock: from Sunday 6:00 PM US Eastern Time to Friday 5:00 PM ET, with a one-hour daily break at 5:00 PM ET. That is why a live oil price keeps moving through the European and Asian sessions, and why there is no live quote at all between Friday evening and Sunday evening — over the weekend you are looking at Friday's closing price.
Within that window, a few moments matter more than others:
Wednesday 10:30 AM ET. The EIA Weekly Petroleum Status Report lands, covering US crude inventories, production and refinery runs. It is the most reliable source of sharp intraday movement in the week.
Tuesday 4:30 PM ET. The American Petroleum Institute publishes its own inventory estimate, often setting expectations ahead of the official EIA figure.
Daily 2:30 PM ET. NYMEX settlement for the front-month contract — the price used for official daily marks.
Friday 1:00 PM ET. Baker Hughes releases the US rig count, a slower-moving but closely watched read on future production.
What Makes the Live Price Move
Over a single session, crude prices respond mainly to supply news, inventory data and the US dollar. Inventory builds at the Cushing, Oklahoma storage hub weigh on WTI directly, because Cushing is where the futures contract is physically delivered. Supply decisions from the OPEC+ group reset the global balance, while output from the US shale basins determines how much domestic crude reaches the market. Because oil is priced in dollars, a stronger dollar generally pushes the quote lower for buyers in other currencies.
Geopolitical events act fastest of all. Disruption around a major shipping corridor such as the Strait of Hormuz can add several dollars to the live price within minutes — and unwind just as quickly when the risk fades, as it did through the August 2026 slide back to the mid-$70s.
Live Crude Oil Price FAQ
Are these prices live or delayed?
They stream in real time during market hours from TradingView market data. Outside trading hours the last traded price is shown until the market reopens.
What unit are crude oil prices quoted in?
US dollars per barrel, where a barrel is 42 US gallons. Our guide to the oil price per barrel explains how that unit works and why it differs from what you pay at the pump.
Do live oil prices update on weekends?
No. Futures stop trading Friday at 5:00 PM ET and reopen Sunday at 6:00 PM ET. The weekend price is Friday's close, and it can gap on the Sunday reopen if news breaks in between.
Does the US oil price differ across states?
The benchmark is national, but the price a producer actually receives varies by region — see US oil prices by state for how Bakken, Midland, Gulf Coast and Alaskan barrels price against WTI.
Disclaimer: This page is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice. Market data is provided by TradingView and may be delayed on some feeds.