WTI Crude Oil (CL-F)
Commodities · Energy · data since 2000-08-23 · last close 2026-09-09
WTI Crude Oil (CL-F) monthly returns (%)
| Year | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 13.6 | 2.8 | 51.3 | 3.6 | -16.9 | -20.4 | 21.8 | 1.3 | 12.6 | · | · | · |
| 2025 | 1.1 | -3.8 | 2.5 | -18.6 | 4.4 | 7.1 | 6.4 | -7.6 | -2.6 | -2.2 | -4.0 | -1.9 |
| 2024 | 5.9 | 3.2 | 6.3 | -1.5 | -6.0 | 5.9 | -4.5 | -5.6 | -7.3 | 1.6 | -1.8 | 5.5 |
| 2023 | -1.7 | -2.3 | -1.8 | 1.5 | -11.3 | 3.8 | 15.8 | 2.2 | 8.6 | -10.8 | -6.3 | -5.7 |
| 2022 | 17.2 | 8.6 | 4.8 | 4.4 | 9.5 | -7.8 | -6.8 | -9.2 | -11.2 | 8.9 | -6.9 | -0.4 |
| 2021 | 7.6 | 17.8 | -3.8 | 7.5 | 4.3 | 10.8 | 0.7 | -7.4 | 9.5 | 11.4 | -20.8 | 13.6 |
| 2020 | -15.6 | -13.2 | -54.2 | -8.0 | 88.4 | 10.7 | 2.5 | 5.8 | -5.6 | -11.0 | 26.7 | 7.0 |
| 2019 | 18.4 | 6.4 | 5.1 | 6.3 | -16.3 | 9.3 | 0.2 | -5.9 | -1.9 | 0.2 | 1.8 | 10.7 |
| 2018 | 7.1 | -4.8 | 5.3 | 5.6 | -2.2 | 10.6 | -7.3 | 1.5 | 4.9 | -10.8 | -22.0 | -10.8 |
| 2017 | -1.7 | 2.3 | -6.3 | -2.5 | -2.0 | -4.7 | 9.0 | -5.9 | 9.4 | 5.2 | 5.5 | 5.3 |
| 2016 | -9.2 | 0.4 | 13.6 | 19.8 | 6.9 | -1.6 | -13.9 | 7.5 | 7.9 | -2.9 | 5.5 | 8.7 |
| 2015 | -9.4 | 3.1 | -4.3 | 25.3 | 1.1 | -1.4 | -20.8 | 4.4 | -8.3 | 3.3 | -10.6 | -11.1 |
| 2014 | -0.9 | 5.2 | -1.0 | -1.8 | 3.0 | 2.6 | -6.8 | -2.3 | -5.0 | -11.7 | -17.9 | -19.5 |
| 2013 | 6.2 | -5.6 | 5.6 | -3.9 | -1.6 | 5.0 | 8.8 | 2.5 | -4.9 | -5.8 | -3.8 | 6.2 |
| 2012 | -0.3 | 8.7 | -3.8 | 1.8 | -17.5 | -1.8 | 3.6 | 9.6 | -4.4 | -6.5 | 3.1 | 3.3 |
| 2011 | 0.9 | 5.2 | 10.1 | 6.8 | -9.9 | -7.1 | 0.3 | -7.2 | -10.8 | 17.7 | 7.7 | -1.5 |
| 2010 | -8.2 | 9.3 | 5.2 | 2.9 | -14.1 | 2.2 | 4.4 | -8.9 | 11.2 | 1.8 | 3.3 | 8.6 |
| 2009 | -6.5 | 7.4 | 10.9 | 2.9 | 29.7 | 5.4 | -0.6 | 0.7 | 0.9 | 9.1 | 0.4 | 2.7 |
| 2008 | -4.4 | 11.0 | -0.3 | 11.7 | 12.2 | 9.9 | -11.4 | -7.0 | -12.8 | -32.6 | -19.7 | -18.1 |
| 2007 | -4.8 | 6.3 | 6.6 | -0.2 | -2.6 | 10.4 | 10.7 | -5.3 | 10.3 | 15.8 | -6.2 | 8.2 |
| 2006 | 11.3 | -9.6 | 8.5 | 7.9 | -0.8 | 3.8 | 0.6 | -5.6 | -10.5 | -6.6 | 7.5 | -3.3 |
| 2005 | 10.9 | 7.4 | 7.0 | -10.3 | 4.5 | 8.7 | 7.2 | 13.8 | -3.9 | -9.8 | -4.1 | 6.5 |
| 2004 | 1.6 | 9.4 | -1.1 | 4.5 | 6.7 | -7.1 | 18.2 | -3.8 | 17.9 | 4.3 | -5.1 | -11.6 |
| 2003 | 7.4 | 9.2 | -15.2 | -16.9 | 14.6 | 2.1 | 1.2 | 3.4 | -7.5 | -0.3 | 4.5 | 6.9 |
| 2002 | -1.8 | 12.2 | 20.1 | 4.0 | -7.1 | 6.0 | 0.6 | 7.3 | 5.1 | -10.7 | -1.2 | 16.0 |
| 2001 | 7.1 | -4.5 | -3.7 | 7.8 | -0.3 | -7.5 | 0.4 | 3.2 | -13.9 | -9.6 | -8.2 | 2.1 |
| 2000 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | 3.3 | -6.8 | 5.9 | 3.4 | -20.7 |
| Avg | 2.0 | 3.5 | 2.6 | 2.3 | 3.0 | 2.1 | 1.5 | -0.6 | -0.7 | -1.8 | -2.7 | 0.3 |
Values in %. Current and first-listed months are partial (greyed).
returnsview.com
CL-F seasonality — average by calendar month
WTI Crude Oil has monthly history back to 2000. Its strongest month by median is February — positive in 19 of 26 years, median +5.2%, and higher in 5 of the last 9. September is the soft spot, down in 16 of 26 with a median of -4.2%. Across its full record it has closed 55% of months higher, swings ±11.2% in an average month and has fallen 93.1% peak to trough.
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg | +2.0% | +3.5% | +2.6% | +2.3% | +3.0% | +2.1% | +1.6% | -0.6% | -1.2% | -1.8% | -2.7% | +0.3% |
| Win rate | 54%/26 | 73%/26 | 58%/26 | 65%/26 | 46%/26 | 65%/26 | 69%/26 | 52%/27 | 38%/26 | 46%/26 | 42%/26 | 58%/26 |
Win rate = share of positive months / sample size.
CL-F risk & extremes
CL-F drawdown & rolling returns
Percent below the all-time high at each month-end — how far underwater the asset was.
Related stocks
Compare CL-F
Frequently asked questions
What was WTI Crude Oil's best month?+
WTI Crude Oil's strongest completed month on record is May 2020, at +88.38%.
What was WTI Crude Oil's worst month?+
Its weakest completed month on record is March 2020, at -54.24%.
Is WTI Crude Oil up this year?+
WTI Crude Oil is up 68.18% year to date, measured from its last close before 1 January.
What is WTI Crude Oil's 1-year return?+
+54.19% over the past twelve months, comparing the latest close with the most recent close on or before the same date a year earlier.
What is WTI Crude Oil's biggest drawdown?+
The deepest peak-to-trough fall on record is 93.1%, measured on month-end closes since 2000.
Which calendar month is historically best for WTI Crude Oil?+
February has the highest average return across every completed February since 2000. An average is not a forecast.
About WTI Crude Oil
WTI Crude Oil is an energy business. It swings with every OPEC meeting and geopolitical mood — with price receipts on this site going back to 2000. And the long game: $100 at its first close here (2000) would be about $259 today.
Did you know?
- Its best month on record was May 2020 at +88.38%; its worst, March 2020 at -54.24%.
- It has closed February in the green 19 out of 26 times — calendar astrology, but the fun kind.
Trivia for entertainment — the numbers come from our price data; the jokes don't.