Latest News

Oil climbs on Middle East escalation fears, US Fed rate cut

Oil prices rose on Monday, buoyed by concerns that increased conflict in the Middle East may cut local supply and expectations last week's outsized U.S. interest rate cut will support demand.

Brent unrefined futures for November were up 22 cents, or 0.3% at $74.71 a barrel at 0705 GMT. U.S. unrefined futures for November were up 26 cents, or 0.4%, at $71.26.

Both contracts rose in the previous session on support from the U.S. rates of interest cut and a dip in U.S. supply in the aftermath of Hurricane Francine. Oil prices climbed recently for a 2nd week.

A softer financial outlook from leading consumers China and the U.S. topped further gains.

Geopolitical stress in the Middle East have edged up a. notch in between Israel and Hezbollah, which might leave oil rates. well-supported on the risks of a wider local dispute, said. Yeap Jun Rong, market strategist at IG.

Nevertheless, price gains have been rather more measured,. which may show some bookings over the actual effect on. oil supplies, given that the Middle East dispute has actually been. dragging for a long time now with little disruptions so far.

The Israeli military released its most widespread wave of. air campaign against Iran-backed Hezbollah, at the same time. targeting Lebanon's south, eastern Bekaa valley and northern. area near Syria in nearly a year of dispute.

The latest attacks came in the middle of a few of the heaviest. cross-border exchanges of fire in a conflict raging alongside. the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.

The dispute has escalated greatly in the previous week after. thousands of pagers and walkie-talkies utilized by Hezbollah members. took off. The attack was extensively blamed on Israel, which has not. confirmed or rejected responsibility.

While both oil criteria rose more than 4% last week on the. back of the U.S. rate cut, weaker need sentiment in leading oil. importer China is topping the upswing, said Priyanka Sachdeva,. senior market expert at Phillip Nova, in a note.

The demand for fuel is still up in the air, she stated,. adding that the U.S. rate cut raised concerns that the Fed may. have actually imagined ailing labor markets.

Last Wednesday, the U.S. Federal Reserve cut interest rates. by half a percentage point, a larger decrease in loaning costs. than numerous expected.

Rates of interest cuts usually enhance economic activity and. energy demand, however experts and market individuals are. concerned the reserve bank might see a slowing task market.

(source: Reuters)