Oil falls on Powell’s banking sector warning and rise in US crude stocks
Brent crude and West Texas Intermediate crude futures drop after three days of gains
23 March 2023 - 07:34
byStephanie Kelly and Jeslyn Lerh
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Singapore — Oil prices fell on Thursday after three sessions of gains, after US Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell highlighted banking sector credit risks for the world’s largest economy, while US crude stocks rose more than expected.
Brent crude futures fell 66c, or 0.9%, to $76.03 a barrel by 4.20am GMT, while US West Texas Intermediate crude (WTI) dropped 74c, or 1.0%, to $70.16.
Both crude benchmarks settled on Wednesday at their highest close since March 14 after the dollar slid to a six-week low.
“Economic risks were being flagged out in the Fed meeting, while higher-than-expected US crude oil stockpiles also dampened some optimism around demand outlook,” said Yeap Jun Rong, market strategist at IG.
However, the weakness in the dollar has been a bright spot in aiding to drive some resilience in oil prices, with some room left for upside in oil prices amid dip-buying seen at the start of this week, Yeap added.
The Fed raised interest rates by a quarter of a percentage point, while indicating that it was on the verge of pausing further increases in borrowing costs, amid recent turmoil in financial markets spurred by the collapse of two US banks.
Powell said on Wednesday that banking industry stress could trigger a credit crunch, with “significant” implications for an economy that US central bank officials projected would slow even more this year than previously thought.
Meanwhile, US crude oil stockpiles rose unexpectedly last week to their highest in nearly two years, latest data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA) showed.
Crude inventories rose by 1.1 million barrels in the week to March 17 to 481.2-million barrels, the highest since May 2021. Analysts in a Reuters poll had expected a 1.6-million-barrel drop.
“Despite all the bearish chatter over the US oil production growth outlook for 2023, overstating cost inflation and lower capex [capital expenditure], the latest EIA weekly report confirms the pivotal role of US oil for global oil markets,” Citi analysts said in a note on Thursday.
Gross exports of crude oil and oil products hit a new high just shy of 12-million barrels per day, way above any other country’s supply levels, the analysts added, citing EIA data.
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 falls on Powell’s banking sector warning and rise in US crude stocks
Brent crude and West Texas Intermediate crude futures drop after three days of gains
Singapore — Oil prices fell on Thursday after three sessions of gains, after US Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell highlighted banking sector credit risks for the world’s largest economy, while US crude stocks rose more than expected.
Brent crude futures fell 66c, or 0.9%, to $76.03 a barrel by 4.20am GMT, while US West Texas Intermediate crude (WTI) dropped 74c, or 1.0%, to $70.16.
Both crude benchmarks settled on Wednesday at their highest close since March 14 after the dollar slid to a six-week low.
“Economic risks were being flagged out in the Fed meeting, while higher-than-expected US crude oil stockpiles also dampened some optimism around demand outlook,” said Yeap Jun Rong, market strategist at IG.
However, the weakness in the dollar has been a bright spot in aiding to drive some resilience in oil prices, with some room left for upside in oil prices amid dip-buying seen at the start of this week, Yeap added.
The Fed raised interest rates by a quarter of a percentage point, while indicating that it was on the verge of pausing further increases in borrowing costs, amid recent turmoil in financial markets spurred by the collapse of two US banks.
Powell said on Wednesday that banking industry stress could trigger a credit crunch, with “significant” implications for an economy that US central bank officials projected would slow even more this year than previously thought.
Meanwhile, US crude oil stockpiles rose unexpectedly last week to their highest in nearly two years, latest data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA) showed.
Crude inventories rose by 1.1 million barrels in the week to March 17 to 481.2-million barrels, the highest since May 2021. Analysts in a Reuters poll had expected a 1.6-million-barrel drop.
“Despite all the bearish chatter over the US oil production growth outlook for 2023, overstating cost inflation and lower capex [capital expenditure], the latest EIA weekly report confirms the pivotal role of US oil for global oil markets,” Citi analysts said in a note on Thursday.
Gross exports of crude oil and oil products hit a new high just shy of 12-million barrels per day, way above any other country’s supply levels, the analysts added, citing EIA data.
Reuters
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