Oil Price (WTI) in 2011
The oil price (WTI) rose 8.2% in 2011, from $91.38 at the end of 2010 to $98.83. Its highest close was $113.39 on Apr 29, and its lowest $75.40 on Oct 4. The biggest one-day fall was −8.2% on May 5 and the biggest rise +9.0% on Feb 22. Adjusted for inflation, it gained 5.0%.
Oil Price (WTI), daily closes 2011
Numbers mark the events belowKey Events in 2011
What happened, and how the WTI oil moved — on the day (or the next trading day) and about a month later.
- 1
Tuesday, February 22 From the dataBiggest one-day rise of the year: +9.0%.
- 2
Friday, March 11Tohoku earthquake and tsunami strike northeastern Japan. SourceWTI oil: −1.5% that day · +9.3% a month later
- 3
Thursday, May 5 From the dataBiggest one-day fall of the year: −8.2%.
- 4
Thursday, June 23 From the dataEnters a bear market: 20% below its peak of $113.39 (April 29, 2011).
- 5
Friday, August 5Standard & Poor's downgrades the US long-term credit rating from AAA to AA+. SourceWTI oil: +0.2% that day · −0.3% a month later
- 6
Tuesday, October 4 From the dataBear market low: $75.40, 33.5% below the peak.
Biggest days of 2011
| Best days | Worst days | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 22 | +9.0% | May 5 | −8.2% |
| Oct 5 | +5.3% | Aug 8 | −6.5% |
| Sep 27 | +5.3% | Sep 22 | −6.4% |
| Aug 10 | +4.7% | Aug 18 | −5.9% |
| Oct 24 | +4.5% | Aug 4 | −5.6% |
Volatility: 34.5% (annualised standard deviation of daily changes).
Month by month
| Month | Close | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | $90.99 | −0.4% |
| Feb | $97.10 | +6.7% |
| Mar | $106.19 | +9.4% |
| Apr | $113.39 | +6.8% |
| May | $102.70 | −9.4% |
| Jun | $95.30 | −7.2% |
| Jul | $95.68 | +0.4% |
| Aug | $88.81 | −7.2% |
| Sep | $78.93 | −11.1% |
| Oct | $93.19 | +18.1% |
| Nov | $100.36 | +7.7% |
| Dec | $98.83 | −1.5% |
Other Markets in 2011
Change over the calendar year.
| Market | Change | Year-end |
|---|---|---|
| Oil Price (WTI) | +8.2% | $98.83 |
| Dow Jones Industrial Average in 2011 | +5.5% | 12,217.56 |
| S&P 500 in 2011 | 0.0% | 1,257.60 |
| Nasdaq Composite in 2011 | −1.8% | 2,605.15 |
| Russell 2000 in 2011 | −5.5% | 740.92 |
| Nikkei 225 in 2011 | −17.3% | 8,455.35 |
| Gold in 2011 | +8.9% | $1,531.00 |
| Silver in 2011 | −8.0% | $28.18 |
| Brent crude oil in 2011 | +15.9% | $108.09 |
| US 10-year Treasury yield in 2011 | −1.41 pp | 1.89% |
Oil Price (WTI) in 2011: FAQ
How much did the oil price (WTI) rise in 2011?
The oil price (WTI) rose 8.2% in 2011, from $91.38 at the end of 2010 to $98.83. Its highest close was $113.39 on Apr 29, and its lowest $75.40 on Oct 4. The biggest one-day fall was −8.2% on May 5 and the biggest rise +9.0% on Feb 22. Adjusted for inflation, it gained 5.0%.
What were the highest and lowest closes of the oil price (WTI) in 2011?
Highest: $113.39 on April 29, 2011. Lowest: $75.40 on October 4, 2011. It closed higher on 133 of 252 trading days.
What happened to the oil price (WTI) on March 11, 2011?
Tohoku earthquake and tsunami strike northeastern Japan. The oil price (WTI) fell 1.5% that day, and was +9.3% a month later.
Data: WTI Cushing spot price (EIA via FRED) from 1986, NYMEX front-month futures closes after that. Inflation: US CPI-U. Events marked "From the data" are found automatically from the closing prices; the others are researched, with the source linked. Not investment advice.