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Oil dips after striking seven-week highs on demand hopes, war jitters

Oil costs dipped on Wednesday after striking sevenweek highs as summertime demand optimism and issues over intensifying disputes offset an industry report that stated U.S. crude stocks all of a sudden rose.

Brent unrefined futures slipped 6 cents, or 0.1%, to $ 85.27 a barrel by 1943 GMT, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude was down 10 cents, or 0.1%, at $81.47 per barrel.

Brent reached $85.84 a barrel earlier in the session, its highest given that May 1, while WTI traded as much as $81.96 a barrel, the highest level given that April 30.

Trading activity was thin due to a U.S. federal vacation.

The present snapshot provides an underwhelming picture but there are green shoots that indicate a more positive outlook, said Tamas Varga of oil broker PVM.

The Brent price being $8 over the lows struck in early June programs genuine optimism that the global oil balance will eventually tighten up, Varga included.

Both benchmarks, having actually recovered highly in the last two weeks, gained more than $1 in the previous session after a. Ukrainian drone strike caused an oil terminal fire at a significant. Russian port.

In the Middle East, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz. alerted of a possible all out war with Lebanon's Hezbollah,. even as the U.S. attempted to prevent a broader conflict in between. Israel and the Iran-backed group.

An intensifying war threats supply interruption in the. oil-producing area.

The potential escalation of tensions in the Middle East is. adding some supply danger to the oil demand equation, stated Bart. Melek, head of product technique at TD Bank, including recent U.S. financial information supported bets the Federal Reserve would move. towards cutting interest rates in coming months.

China data today showed Might industrial output lagged. expectations, but retail sales, a gauge of usage, marked. the quickest growth since February.

On the other hand, U.S. unrefined stocks increased by 2.264 million barrels. in the week ended June 14, market sources said on Tuesday,. citing American Petroleum Institute figures. Experts surveyed by. had actually expected a 2.2-million barrel draw in crude stocks.

Nevertheless, gas stocks fell by 1.077 million barrels,. while distillates rose by 538,000 barrels, the sources said,. speaking on condition of anonymity.

Official stocks information from the U.S. Energy Information. Administration is due on Thursday.

(source: Reuters)