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Oil costs bound for 2nd weekly gain on geopolitical stress, supply concerns

Oil rates extended gains on Friday and headed for a 2nd weekly gain, supported by geopolitical tensions in Europe and the Middle East, concerns over tightening supply, and optimism about worldwide fuel demand development as economies enhance.

Brent crude climbed 49 cents, or 0.5%, to $91.14 a. barrel by 0108 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude. was at $86.96 a barrel, up 37 cents, or 0.4%.

Both standards settled at their highest since October on. Thursday.

Oil prices look set for more benefit in the short-term as. a more positive economic backdrop is joined by ongoing supply. tightness and rising geopolitical dangers, ANZ experts Daniel. Hynes and Soni Kumari stated in a note, as the bank raised its. 3-month cost target for Brent to $95 a barrel.

Brent and WTI are set to notch a more than 4% gain this. week, climbing up for a 2nd straight week, after third-largest. OPEC manufacturer Iran swore vengeance versus Israel for an attack. that killed high-ranking Iranian military personnel.

Israel has not claimed obligation for the attack on. Iran's embassy compound in Syria on Monday.

Continuous Ukrainian drone attacks on refineries in Russia may. have actually interrupted more than 15% of Russian capability, a NATO. authorities said on Thursday, striking the nation's fuel output.

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). and allies led by Russia, called OPEC+, this week kept their. oil supply policy the same and pushed some countries to. increase compliance with output cuts.

More clampdowns on adherence to quotas must see output. fall further in Q2, the ANZ experts stated.

The prospect of a tighter market need to see a drawdown in. stocks during the 2nd quarter.

Heavy oil supply has also tightened up internationally after Mexico. and the United Arab Emirates cut exports of these grades.

This comes amid strong international oil need development of 1.4. million barrels each day (bpd) in the very first quarter, JP Morgan. experts stated in a note.

Our high-frequency demand indicators approximate that total. oil intake in March averaged 101.2 million bpd, 100,000 bpd. above our published estimates, they said.

Investors are waiting for a U.S. March employment report later on. on Friday for further hints on the health of the U.S. economy. and the instructions of its financial policy.

(source: Reuters)