WTI Rises to $88.7 as Brent Advances to $95.8

Oil markets moved higher in Thursday afternoon pricing, with WTI crude at $88.7, up $2.17, or 2.51%, according to live market data. Brent crude rose $3.04, or 3.28%, to $95.8. Natural gas also advanced, gaining $0.15 to $3.37. The Bakken differential was quoted at -$3.42 against WTI, indicating that North Dakota barrels were trading at a discount to the U.S. benchmark.

Applying the quoted differential to WTI implies a Bakken reference price of $85.28. For Bakken operators, the move higher in both WTI and Brent improves the revenue environment for oil production, while the natural gas gain supports value from associated gas streams. For royalty owners, higher benchmark prices generally raise the value of produced volumes, though the local discount can reduce the realized price compared with the WTI quote.

The price move was not attributed in the available market data to a specific inventory, OPEC or policy catalyst. The related market context pointed to affordability pressures in the U.S. auto sector, where fuel costs are one of several household budget items. According to OilPrice.com, the average U.S. new-vehicle price reached a record $51,109 in October 2026, based on a Cox Automotive report citing Kelley Blue Book data. Average monthly new-car payments hit a record $787, and 21.2% of financed new-car buyers committed to payments of $1,000 or more per month, according to the report, which cited Edmunds’ Q3 findings. Cox Automotive reported that transaction prices rose 2.1% year over year, while average MSRP rose 2.4% to $52,933.

OilPrice.com also reported that the average used-car monthly payment was about $582, versus $566 a year earlier, while 25.5% of new-car buyers took loans lasting 84 months or longer, another record. The average amount financed for a new car reached $44,664, with an average 7% annual percentage rate. The report noted that the record average vehicle price came partly from shoppers gravitating toward larger, more expensive vehicles, including mid-size SUVs and full-size pickup trucks.

Jessica Caldwell, head of insights at Edmunds, said in the report, “Even as monthly payments hit record highs, loan terms stretch to historic lengths, and four-figure monthly payments become more common, buyer demand for new vehicles hasn’t dropped off.” She said consumers were adapting by allocating more of household budgets to vehicles, stretching loan terms and shopping financing.

For the Williston Basin, the immediate takeaway is that crude and gas prices rose in the afternoon data, with Brent advancing more than WTI. Bakken operators continue to manage the $3.42 discount to WTI, while royalty owners benefit from the higher benchmark prices. The auto-market data adds a demand-side backdrop: record vehicle costs, higher financing burdens and fuel expenses are shaping consumer spending, and oil prices remain a visible input for drivers.