Energy markets mostly higher in Friday trading, led by crude gains

Energy prices were broadly higher in afternoon trading Friday (May 15, 2026), with benchmark crude oil futures posting gains as traders tracked shifting supply signals across global markets.

As of 2:01 pm Friday in Tokyo, WTI was up $1.24 at $102.41, a 1.23% increase.

Brent crude rose $1.24 to $106.96, up 1.17%, while Murban crude gained $0.55 to $104.70, a 0.53% advance.

Refined products also moved higher.

Gasoline futures climbed 0.034 to $3.640, up 0.94%, and heating oil rose 0.036 to $3.941, a 0.92% gain.

Natural gas edged up 0.027 to $2.921, a 0.93% increase.

Price moves were more mixed across regional crude benchmarks.

Geopolitical risks

The gains reflected continued sensitivity in oil markets to expectations around supply availability, including production discipline among major exporters and fluctuating trade flows tied to geopolitical risks and shipping constraints.

Traders have been closely monitoring signals from both OPEC+ producers and non-OPEC supply sources, which continue to shape near-term price direction.

Despite the broad upward trend, price moves were more uneven across regional crude benchmarks, underscoring diverging supply-demand dynamics in different markets and the continued volatility in global energy pricing.

Global energy pricing

Meanwhile, WTI Midland slipped $0.21 to $103.03, while Mars crude fell $0.93 to $121.23. Urals crude dropped $4.56 to $97.51, and Western Canadian Select declined 1.16 to $88.67.

Several international benchmarks posted stronger gains, including the OPEC basket, which rose $7.43 to $115.09, and Dubai crude, which climbed 6.18 to $103.76.

Indian basket crude also gained $6.53 to $109.05.

Brent-weighted average prices advanced $3.07 to $107.28.

US domestic grades showed gains in several hubs, including Louisiana Light, up $3.56 to $103.06, and benchmark grades at Cushing and Giddings, both up $7.10.

ANS West Coast crude rose $2.94 to $114.27, while Gulf Coast high-sulfur fuel oil gained 3.28 to $92.33.

In other energy markets, Dutch TTF natural gas rose $0.82 to $16.09, and LNG Japan/Korea Marker edged higher by $0.11 to $16.99.

Ethanol futures fell 0.033 to $1.953.

The mixed regional performance highlighted uneven pricing trends across global crude grades, even as broader energy markets held a firmer tone heading into the close of trading.