The Oil Trade Keeps Chugging West Texas Intermediate Crude jumps … oil’s upward pressure on May inflation … why we need to look beyond inflation numbers … checking in on the U.S. consumer The price of West Texas Intermediate Crude (WTIC) came within striking distance of $120 a barrel yesterday. In the morning, price surged on news that EU leaders had reached an agreement to ban 90% of Russian crude by the end of the year, From CNBC : The agreement resolves a deadlock after Hungary initially held up talks. Hungary is a major user of Russian oil and its leader, Viktor Orban, has been on friendly terms with Russia’s Vladimir Putin. Charles Michel, president of the European Council, said the move would immediately hit 75% of Russian oil imports. Those gains disappeared later in the day when The Wall Street Journal reported that OPEC is considering suspending Russia from the group’s output agreement. From the WSJ : Exempting Russia from its oil-production targets could potentially pave the way for Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and other producers in the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries to pump significantly more crude, something that the U.S. and European nations have pressed them to do as the invasion of Ukraine sent oil prices soaring above $100 a barrel.