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Oil falls 1.5%, ends week lower on China need worries

Oil futures fell about 1.5% on Friday, finishing the week lower on decreasing Chinese need and hopes of a Gaza ceasefire arrangement that might ease Middle East stress and accompanying supply issues.

Brent crude calmed down $1.24, or 1.5%, at $81.13 a. barrel. West Texas Intermediate crude ended $1.12, or. 1.4%, lower at $77.16 a barrel.

For the week, Brent was trading down more than 1% while. WTI fell beyond 3%.

The other day's better-than-expected

U.S. GDP development figures

initially supported the crude market, said George Khoury,. international head of education and research at CFI. Nevertheless, these. gains were eclipsed by concerns about decreasing Chinese oil. need.

Data released last week showing that China's overall fuel oil. imports dropped 11% in the very first half of 2024 have raised. issue about the wider demand outlook in China.

The Chinese demand circumstance is decreasing the tubes. here and crude oil costs are going down with it, said Bob. Yawger, director of energy futures at Mizuho in New York.

China's economy is threatening to enter a deflationary. cycle, where prices will fall since of falling need, Yawger. stated.

Which is about the worst possible scenario for a. country that is the largest importer of petroleum on the. planet, he said.

On the other hand, need from the world's top oil consumer was also. anticipated to alleviate as U.S. refiners are preparing to cut down. production as the end of the summer driving season in early. September nears.

The nation's second largest refiner, Valero Energy,. stated on Thursday its 14 refineries would run at 92% of combined. capability in the 3rd quarter. Valero's refineries ran at 94% in. the second quarter.

In the Middle East, hopes of a ceasefire in Gaza have been. acquiring momentum.

A ceasefire has actually been the subject of settlements for months,. but U.S. officials think the celebrations are more detailed than ever to. a contract for a six-week ceasefire in exchange for the. release by Hamas of female, sick, elderly and injured hostages.

Baker Hughes' count of U.S. oil drilling rigs, an early. indication of future output, increased by 5 to 482 today. and by 3 in July, raising the number of rigs for the first. month given that March.

(source: Reuters)