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The oil price is on track to make solid gains this week as China and the U.S. resume their trade talks

After the U.S. President Donald Trump resumed his trade talks with China's Xi Jinping, oil prices fell on Friday. However, they were still on track to gain their first weekly increase in three weeks. This was due to hopes of growth and higher demand in two of the world's largest economies.

Brent crude futures dropped 12 cents or 0.2% to $65.22 per barrel at 0133 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate Crude lost 15 cents (0.2%), to $63.22, following a gain of around 50 cents Thursday.

Both benchmarks are on course to end the week higher, after two weeks of falling. Brent is up 2.1%, and WTI is 4% higher this week.

Markets continued to move with the news of tariff negotiations, and data that showed how tariff impacts and trade war uncertainty are affecting global economies.

China's official Xinhua News Agency said that trade talks between Xi Trump were held at Washington's request. Trump said that the conversation had ended in a "very good conclusion," and added that the U.S. is "in a very good position with China and the deal."

According to Melanie Joly, the Minister of Industry, Canada, Mark Carney, was in direct contact with Donald Trump.

Canada's ongoing wildfires have also contributed to the market.

Saudi Arabia, the top exporter of crude oil to Asia, has cut its crude prices in July to levels that are near their two-month lows. This was a lower price drop than expected, after OPEC+ agreed in July to increase output by 411,000 barrels a day.

The Kingdom had been pushing for a larger output increase, as part of a broader strategic plan to win back the market share and discipline the over-producers within OPEC+. This grouping includes the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and its allies, including Russia.

Economic indicators show that the U.S. service sector contracted for the first time since nearly a full year in May, and the number of weekly claims for unemployment benefits rose, again pointing to the cooling of the labor market. Investors await Friday's nonfarm payrolls data in the United States for more information on Federal Reserve interest rate policy. (Reporting and editing by SonaliPaul; SudarshanVaradhan)

(source: Reuters)