OPEC and a Russia-led group of oil producers agreed to continue increasing production in measured steps, delegates said Monday, deciding against opening the taps more widely, and driving U.S. crude prices to their highest levels since 2014.

West Texas Intermediate, the main U.S. oil price, rose 2.3% to close at $77.62 a barrel. Brent, the international gauge, added 2.5% to end at $81.26, its highest settling price in three years. Climbing oil prices recently had analysts and economists expecting OPEC and its Russia-led allies to lift production more significantly.

Instead, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and Russia said the group, which calls itself OPEC+, would lift its collective output by 400,000 barrels a day in monthly installments, part of a previously agreed plan to return output to pre-Covid-19 levels.

OPEC Opts Against Big Output Boost, Pushing Oil Prices to Seven-Year High – WSJ