Oil Futures Settle Lower in Sluggish Trade

Group 1 - The S&P 500 index has fallen for the third consecutive day, indicating a bearish trend in the stock market [1] - Oil futures have settled lower, with February Brent crude remaining relatively unchanged at $61.92 per barrel, while the March contract decreased by 0.3% to $61.33 [1] - West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil settled down 0.2% at $57.95, reflecting a decline in oil prices amid sluggish trading conditions [2] Group 2 - Geopolitical risks from countries such as Saudi Arabia, Russia, the UAE, Venezuela, Iran, and Nigeria are seen as potential catalysts for price increases in oil, despite forecasts from the International Energy Agency predicting a supply surplus of 3.8 million barrels per day in 2026 [2]