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Oil prices tick down as hopes of Middle East ceasefire alleviates supply worries

Oil prices edged lower on Tuesday as Israel accepted a proposition to take on disagreements obstructing a. ceasefire deal in Gaza, assisting reduce stress over a supply. disruption in the Middle East.

Brent crude fell 12 cents, $2.02, or 0.15%, to. $ 77.54. Front month U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures. , which expire on Tuesday, were at $74.23 a barrel, relieving. 14 cents, or 0.2%. The more actively traded second month. contract was down 15 cents or 0.2% at $73.52.

Brent had fallen about 2.5% on Monday, while WTI alleviated 3%.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Monday. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had accepted a. bridging proposal provided by Washington to take on. differences obstructing a ceasefire handle Gaza, and prompted Hamas. to do the same.

Nevertheless, with the Palestinian Islamist group announcing a. resumption of suicide bombing inside Israel after several years,. and claiming duty for a blast in Tel Aviv on Sunday. night, and medics stating Israeli military strikes killed at. least 30 Palestinians across the Gaza Strip on Monday, there are. few indications of conciliation on the ground and worries of larger war.

Likewise easing supply concerns, production at Libya's Sharara. oilfield has risen to about 85,000 barrels daily in a move. aimed at supplying the Zawia oil refinery, 2 engineers working. at the field informed Reuters on Monday.

Libya's National Oil Corporation (NOC) had declared force. majeure on oil exports from the field on Aug. 7 after a blockade. by protesters struck production at the 300,000-bpd field.

In the United States, unrefined stockpiles were expected to have. fallen by 2.9 million barrels last week, an initial Reuters. poll revealed on Monday.

On the demand side, worries about China's financial problems. also pressured oil rates. After a depressing 2nd quarter, the. world's second-largest economy lost momentum further in July as. brand-new home prices fell at the fastest speed in nine years,. commercial output slowed, export and investment growth dipped. and unemployment rose.

On the other hand, financiers likewise awaited sign of the U.S. Federal Reserve's plans for the next interest rate choice.

The Fed will cut rates of interest by 25 basis points at each. of the staying three meetings of 2024, another decrease than. predicted last month, according to a slim bulk of economic experts. polled who said an economic downturn is not likely.

Fed members Mary Daly and Austan Goolsbee over the weekend. flagged the possibility of relieving in September, while minutes of. the last policy conference due this week ought to highlight the. dovish outlook.

Fed Chair Jerome Powell speaks in Jackson Hole on Friday and. financiers presume he will acknowledge the case for a cut.

Rate cuts reduce loaning expenses and might increase oil demand. in the world's leading oil-consuming country.

A looming labour dispute at Canada's two primary railroads is. not likely to substantially minimize oil exports or shut-in. production in Canada, thanks to excess capability on Trans. Mountain and other pipelines, individuals near the matter stated.

(source: Reuters)