This time, the wire says OPEC+ is preparing another supply hike in November, with Saudi Arabia pushing for something big and Russia urging restraint. But if recent history is any guide, a report of rising quotas doesn’t necessarily translate into rising barrels—and OPEC is getting increasingly irritated with the narrative. OPEC+ has been promising staged increases since April as it unwinds cuts, but it’s only managed to deliver about 75% of those barrels. The result is market theater: Reuters reports a glut-in-the-making, OPEC pushes back to protect the narrative, and prices swing on expectations rather than evidence. Brent crude is already down more than 7% this week on the latest supply-hike chatter, even though the “extra” oil hasn’t actually arrived.