Oil prices held steady on Wednesday (August 13th) after a slight decline the previous day, with investors awaiting talks between US and Russian leaders on Friday as a potential catalyst for a new direction. Global benchmark Brent traded above $66 per barrel after falling 0.8% in the previous session, while West Texas Intermediate (WTI) hovered near $63.

On the diplomatic front, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio held discussions with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to prepare for a summit between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin. However, he reiterated that a breakthrough in the Ukraine conflict remains unlikely. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy also refused to cede the Donbas region, Putin's demand for a ceasefire, while pushing for Kyiv's involvement in the negotiations.

Oil market participants are watching to see whether the talks could lead to an easing of US sanctions on Russia, a member of OPEC+, which could potentially increase supply to the market. This year, prices have been under pressure as producer groups accelerate output increases amid the prospect of oversupply, while US tariffs have dampened global demand.

On a fundamental level, the US Department of Energy on Tuesday raised its projection for a global supply surplus in 2025 to 1.7 million barrels per day. The International Energy Agency will release its latest projections on Wednesday, while OPEC maintains a more optimistic outlook, predicting tighter market conditions next year than previously projected.

Short-term signals are also mixed: US industry reports show national stockpiles increased slightly last week, with official data scheduled for release later Wednesday. Derivatives market activity has been relatively subdued, with aggregate Brent volumes below the daily average at the start of the Asian session, and implied volatility for the second-month contract nearing a two-week low. (alg)

Source: Newsmaker.id