Latest News

Oil rates extend healing from multi-year lows

Oil prices extended their rally on Friday and were on course for a weekly gain, triggered by output disruption in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico after Hurricane Francine required the evacuation of production platforms.

Brent crude futures increased 38 cents, or 0.53%, to $ 72.35 a barrel by 0735 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures rose 40 cents, or 0.58%, to $69.37.

If those gains hold, both criteria will break a streak of weekly decreases despite Brent crude dipping below $70 a barrel on Tuesday for the very first time given that late 2021.

At current levels, Brent is set for a weekly boost of about 1.9% while WTI is set to register a 2.5% gain.

Ongoing supply disturbances in Libya and bigger than anticipated interruption in the Gulf of Mexico due to Typhoon Francine keep the oil market tight, stated UBS analyst Giovanni Staunovo.

Further support is most likely coming from short-covering activity as result of rebounding rates.

A weaker U.S. dollar likewise helped assistance oil costs. The currency was up to a one-week low on Friday, making dollar-denominated commodities more affordable for holders of other currencies.

Oil producers assessed damage and performed security checks on Thursday as they prepared to resume operations in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico. Authorities data revealed that almost 42% of the region's. oil output was shut in since Thursday.

UBS experts anticipate September output in the region will. fall by 50,000 barrels each day (bpd) from the previous month. while FGE analysts estimated a drop of 60,000 bpd to 1.69. million bpd.

If production hold-ups were to prove to be temporary and. damages to oil platforms were to be very little, those gains may be. unwound, as the wider need outlook continues to work as a. key headwind to limit any sustained recovery, IG market. strategist Yeap Jun Rong said in an email.

Both the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries. ( OPEC) and the International Energy Firm (IEA) decreased their. demand growth forecasts today, citing economic struggles in. China, the world's biggest oil importer.

In the United States, oil stockpiles likewise rose throughout the. board last week as unrefined imports grew and exports dipped, the. Energy Information Administration (EIA) said on Wednesday.

In the meantime, financiers are expecting the U.S. Federal Reserve's policy conference over Sept. 17-18 and a possible. cut to rate of interest.

(source: Reuters)