WTI December crude settles at $88.56/bbl, down 0.20%

The headline move is small, but the second consecutive weekly decline is the more telling signal: momentum in crude has softened even as the absolute price holds near the high end of its recent range. That combination matters for anyone watching energy as an inflation input, since a flattening trend can ease pressure on input costs without a sharp drop. Whether the weekly slide extends into a third week, or the flat daily settle marks a floor, is the open question worth tracking.