Brent price of oil slips to $96.18 on April 17, 2026

Current price of oil (Brent) as of April 17, 2026

At 8:30 a.m. ET, the price of oil settled at $96.18 per barrel, a ↓ 0.88 dip from the previous session and roughly ↑ 41.81% above the level a year ago.

Recent price movements

• Yesterday: $97.06 (-0.90%)
• One‑month ago: $103.47 (-7.04%)
• One‑year ago: $67.82

Implications for gasoline

Crude oil remains the dominant component of pump prices; when oil climbs, retail gasoline typically follows, though the lag can be pronounced – a phenomenon analysts label “rockets and feathers.”

Strategic Petroleum Reserve’s role

The U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve can provide short‑term relief during supply shocks, but it is not a long‑term price stabilizer.

Link to natural gas markets

Higher oil prices can push energy‑intensive firms toward natural gas, nudging its price upward.

“Energy markets remain highly sensitive to geopolitical risk,” said an analyst at Reuters.

For a deeper dive into the price of oil, see the latest Bloomberg Energy report.