Short answer
US crude oil. It is most active in New York hours and reacts to weekly inventory data and OPEC+ decisions.
Most active hours: 13:00–22:00 UTC
Most active hours in your country
| Country | Time zone | Most active hours |
|---|---|---|
| India | IST | 18:30–03:30 |
| Pakistan | PKT | 18:00–03:00 |
| Bangladesh | BST | 19:00–04:00 |
| Nigeria | WAT | 14:00–23:00 |
| Kenya | EAT | 16:00–01:00 |
| South Africa | SAST | 15:00–00:00 |
| Philippines | PHT | 21:00–06:00 |
| Egypt | EET | 15:00–00:00 |
| Saudi Arabia | AST | 16:00–01:00 |
| UAE | GST | 17:00–02:00 |
Times shift by one hour when Europe, the US or Australia change clocks. This page recalculates them in your browser.
How to approach Crude oil (WTI) on short expiries
Oil is busiest in New York hours and jumps on the weekly inventory report and OPEC+ headlines. Treat Wednesday’s release window as off-limits for short expiries and prefer 5–15 minute expiries during the rest of the US session.
Scheduled releases that move this asset
| Release | How often | UTC | India (IST) | Nigeria (WAT) | UAE (GST) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Federal Reserve rate decision (FOMC) | 8 times a year | 19:00 | 00:30 | 20:00 | 23:00 |
| US crude oil inventories (EIA) | Weekly, Wednesday | 15:30 | 21:00 | 16:30 | 19:30 |
For short expiries many traders pause 15 minutes before and after these releases. Times follow each publisher’s own clock, so they shift when Europe, the US or Australia change clocks. Check the official calendar for exact dates; holidays can move releases.
What moves the price
- Weekly US inventory report (Wednesday)
- OPEC+ decisions
- Middle East supply risk
Outside market hours many brokers offer an OTC version of this asset. OTC prices are set by the broker, not the interbank market.