Oil rises on hopes of improved Chinese fuel demand
Brent crude futures are up 52c at $86.44 a barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate crude futures gain 55c to $80.73 a barrel
18 January 2023 - 07:29
byYuka Obayashi
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Tokyo — Oil prices rose on Wednesday, extending the previous session’s gains, driven by optimism that a relaxation of China’s strict Covid-19 curbs will lead to a recovery in fuel demand in the world’s top oil importer.
Brent crude futures were up 52c, or 0.6%, at $86.44 a barrel at 1.51am GMT, after a 1.7% rally in the previous session.
US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures gained 55c, or 0.7%, to $80.73 a barrel, having risen 0.4% on Tuesday.
China’s GDP expanded 3% in 2022, missing the official target of “around 5.5%” and marking its second-worst performance since 1976. But the data still beat analysts’ forecasts after China rolled back its zero-Covid policy in December.
The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) said in a monthly report Chinese oil demand would grow 510,000 barrels per day (bpd) this year after posting in 2022 its first contraction for years due to Covid-19 containment measures.
But Opec kept its 2023 global demand growth forecast unchanged at 2.22-million bpd.
“Growing hopes that China’s fuel demand will pick up after a recent shift in its Covid-19 policy lent support to oil prices,” said Toshitaka Tazawa, an analyst at Fujitomi Securities.
“Opec’s optimistic outlook on China’s demand also supported the market sentiment,” he said, predicting a bullish tone for this week.
At the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, China’s Vice-Premier Liu He on Tuesday welcomed foreign investment and declared his country open to the world after three years of Covid-19 isolation.
Oil was also boosted by a weaker US dollar, which steadied on Wednesday after falling against major currencies the previous day due to expectations a possible Bank of Japan (BOJ) policy shift could be a precursor to a tighter monetary policy.
A weaker dollar makes greenback-denominated oil less expensive for other currency holders and encourages buying.
On the supply-side, oil output from top shale regions in the US is due to rise by about 77,300 bpd to a record 9.38-million bpd in February, the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) said in a productivity report on Tuesday.
Russia, meanwhile, expects Western sanctions to have a significant impact on its oil product exports and its production, likely leaving it more crude oil to sell, said a senior Russian source with knowledge of the nation’s outlook.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
Oil rises on hopes of improved Chinese fuel demand
Brent crude futures are up 52c at $86.44 a barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate crude futures gain 55c to $80.73 a barrel
Tokyo — Oil prices rose on Wednesday, extending the previous session’s gains, driven by optimism that a relaxation of China’s strict Covid-19 curbs will lead to a recovery in fuel demand in the world’s top oil importer.
Brent crude futures were up 52c, or 0.6%, at $86.44 a barrel at 1.51am GMT, after a 1.7% rally in the previous session.
US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures gained 55c, or 0.7%, to $80.73 a barrel, having risen 0.4% on Tuesday.
China’s GDP expanded 3% in 2022, missing the official target of “around 5.5%” and marking its second-worst performance since 1976. But the data still beat analysts’ forecasts after China rolled back its zero-Covid policy in December.
The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) said in a monthly report Chinese oil demand would grow 510,000 barrels per day (bpd) this year after posting in 2022 its first contraction for years due to Covid-19 containment measures.
But Opec kept its 2023 global demand growth forecast unchanged at 2.22-million bpd.
“Growing hopes that China’s fuel demand will pick up after a recent shift in its Covid-19 policy lent support to oil prices,” said Toshitaka Tazawa, an analyst at Fujitomi Securities.
“Opec’s optimistic outlook on China’s demand also supported the market sentiment,” he said, predicting a bullish tone for this week.
At the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, China’s Vice-Premier Liu He on Tuesday welcomed foreign investment and declared his country open to the world after three years of Covid-19 isolation.
Oil was also boosted by a weaker US dollar, which steadied on Wednesday after falling against major currencies the previous day due to expectations a possible Bank of Japan (BOJ) policy shift could be a precursor to a tighter monetary policy.
A weaker dollar makes greenback-denominated oil less expensive for other currency holders and encourages buying.
On the supply-side, oil output from top shale regions in the US is due to rise by about 77,300 bpd to a record 9.38-million bpd in February, the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) said in a productivity report on Tuesday.
Russia, meanwhile, expects Western sanctions to have a significant impact on its oil product exports and its production, likely leaving it more crude oil to sell, said a senior Russian source with knowledge of the nation’s outlook.
Reuters
Oil near year’s highs on expectations of recovery in Chinese demand
Oil prices mixed amid weak China growth
Mixed session for oil after release of Chinese data
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