WTI holds steady near $63.50 as optimism over Russia-Ukraine peace fades

• WTI steadies as fading prospects for an immediate Russia-Ukraine peace deal support the risk premium.
• Traders turn cautious amid Russian airstrikes near the EU border and Ukrainian strikes on a Russian Oil refinery.
• US increases pressure on India over Russian crude imports, imposing a 25% tariff on Indian goods effective August 27.

West Texas Intermediate (WTI) Oil price holds ground after two days of gains, trading around $63.40 during the Asian hours on Friday. Crude Oil prices were largely unchanged, with waning hopes for an immediate Russia-Ukraine peace deal underpinning the risk premium demanded by Oil sellers.

Reuters cited analysts at ING, saying in a client note on Friday, "It's proving difficult to set up a Putin-Zelenskiy summit, while discussions around potential security guarantees face obstacles," "The less likely a ceasefire looks, the more likely the risk of tougher (US) sanctions" on Russia.

The market sentiment remains cautious after reports of Russian airstrikes near the European Union (EU) border and Ukrainian attacks on a Russian Oil refinery. Moscow has demanded major concessions, but President Volodymyr Zelenskyy rejected giving up any territory.

Oil prices may regain their ground as the United States (US) increases pressure on India over Russian crude imports, announcing a 25% tariff on Indian goods effective August 27. Crude accounts for nearly 35% of India's imports.

The demand for Oil could face challenges amid easing odds of a Federal Reserve (Fed) interest rate cut in September. The higher borrowing cost negatively impacts the economic activities in the United States, the world's largest economy, which affects Oil requirements.

The CME FedWatch tool indicates that the Fed funds futures traders are now pricing in a 75% chance of a rate reduction in September, down from 82% on Wednesday. The rate cut likelihood reduced following the strong Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) and rising Initial Jobless Claims data from the United States (US).