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Crude oil little changed after rallying on escalating Ukraine-Russia tensions

An installation depicting barrel of oil with the logo of Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is seen during the COP29 United Nations climate change conference in Baku, Azerbaijan November 19, 2024. 
Maxim Shemetov | Reuters
  • President Joe Biden has authorized Ukraine to use long-range missiles to hit targets in Russia in a major departure from Washington's previous position.
  • Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday lowered Moscow's threshold for using nuclear weapons.

Crude oil futures edged slightly lower on Tuesday, after rallying about 3% in the prior session on fears that the war between Ukraine and Russia is escalating.

President Joe Biden has authorized Ukraine to use long-range missiles to hit targets in Russia in a major departure from Washington's previous position, according to media reports.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday lowered Moscow's threshold for using nuclear weapons.

Here are Tuesday's energy prices as of 7:39 a.m. ET:

  • West Texas Intermediate December contract: $68.79 per barrel, down 37 cents, or 0.53%. Year to date, U.S. crude oil has declined about 4%.
  • Brent January contract: $73.02 per barrel, down 28 cents, or 0.38%. Year to date, the global benchmark has shed about 5%.
  • RBOB Gasoline December contract: $2.0133 per gallon, down 0.25%.Year to date, gasoline has fallen about 4%.
  • Natural Gas December contract: $2.950 per thousand cubic feet, down 0.77%. Year to date, gas has gained more than 16%.

Stock market futures fell on the growing geopolitical tensions, with Dow futures down more than 200 points.

Biden's decision comes just two months before he departs office. President-elect Donald Trump campaigned on ending the war in Ukraine.

Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine roiled global energy markets in 2022 as European nations sought to end their dependence Russian natural gas.

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