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Oil prices down on Gaza ceasefire talks, flat on the week

Oil costs slipped on Friday and were flat on the week as the possibility of a. ceasefire in Gaza weakened unrefined standards, while the war in. Europe and diminishing U.S. rig count cushioned the fall.

Brent futures for May delivery settled at $85.43,. losing 35 cents. U.S. unrefined settled at $80.63 a barrel,. falling 44 cents. Both criteria logged less a than 1% modification. on the week.

Everyone is looking for what the weekend will bring with. Gaza, stated John Kilduff, partner with Again Capital LLC, adding. that successful peace talks would prompt Yemen's Houthi rebels. to enable oil tankers to travel through the Red Sea.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Thursday he. believed talks in Qatar could reach a Gaza ceasefire contract. in between Israel and Hamas.

Blinken fulfilled Arab foreign ministers and Egypt's President. Abdel Fattah El-Sisi in Cairo as arbitrators in Qatar centred on. a truce of about six weeks.

On the other hand, the U.S. dollar was set for a 2nd week of. broad gains after the Swiss National Bank's surprise interest. rate cut on Thursday boosted global danger sentiment.

A more powerful dollar makes oil more expensive for investors. holding other currencies, dampening demand.

While a possible ceasefire implied crude may move more. easily internationally, a lower U.S. oil rig count and the capacity. for alleviating U.S. interest rates helped assistance rates.

We are still keeping fresh highs on the table given. broad-based expansion in danger cravings that sped up. following the mid-week Fed comments that showed less hawkish. than expected, said Houston-based Jim Ritterbusch, of. Ritterbusch and Associates.

U.S. equities, which tend to move in connection with oil. costs, struck record highs after the Federal Reserve ended its. routine conference with no modification in U.S. rates on Wednesday.

The U.S. oil well count fell by one to 509 this week,. according to Baker Hughes information, indicating lower future supply.

Cash managers, meanwhile, upped their net long U.S. crude. alternatives and futures positions recently, the U.S. Commodity. Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) stated, with combined futures. and alternatives positions in New York and London rising by 57,394. contracts to 202,624.

The dispute in Eastern Europe likewise kept oil rates from. moving lower. Russia introduced the largest rocket and drone. attack on Ukrainian energy infrastructure of the war to date on. Friday, striking the country's biggest dam and triggering blackouts. in numerous regions, Kyiv stated.

Chatter has emerged within the market that Russia. would even more discount its barrels due to the escalation,. said Bob Yawger, director of energy futures at Mizuho. A steeper. discount might make Russian crude more appealing to. international purchasers.

(source: Reuters)