TOKYO, June 16 (Reuters) – Oil gained for a fifth day on Wednesday, climbing towards $75 a barrel to its highest since April 2019, supported by a recovery in demand from the pandemic and a drop in U.S. crude inventories.
The American Petroleum Institute reported U.S. crude inventories fell 8.5 million barrels, two market sources said, more than analysts forecast. Official Energy Information Administration figures are out at 1430 GMT.
Brent crude was up 32 cents, or 0.4%, at $74.31 a barrel by 1152 GMT, and earlier reached $74.73, the highest since April 2019. U.S. crude gained 28 cents, or 0.4%, to $72.40 and hit $72.83, the highest since October 2018.
“Demand growth is outpacing supply and will continue to do so over the coming months,” said Stephen Brennock of oil broker PVM.
Brent has risen 44% this year, supported by supply cuts led by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies, known as OPEC+, and a demand recovery expected to gather pace in the second half.
Despite some easing of last year’s record output cuts made when the pandemic took hold, OPEC+ is still withholding millions of barrels of daily supply from the market.
“Even non-energy traders are placing bets that oil prices will continue to rise,” said Edward Moya, senior market analyst at brokerage OANDA.
Executives from major oil traders said on Tuesday they expected prices to remain above $70 and demand to return to pre-pandemic levels in the second half of 2022. read more
At the same time, the prospect of an imminent rise in Iranian oil exports looks less likely, analysts said. Indirect talks between Tehran and Washington on resuming the 2015 nuclear accord resumed in Vienna on Saturday. read more
“Ongoing efforts to revive the Iranian nuclear deal have so far failed to bear any fruits,” PVM’s Brennock said.Reporting by Aaron Sheldrick
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
Convenience retail is becoming an increasingly data-driven business, with operators balancing tight margins, shifting consumer…
As enterprises have moved more workloads into virtualised environments, the hypervisor has become a critical…
Rally Saudi Arabia will not form part of the 2026 FIA World Rally Championship due…
Outdoor footwear is increasingly expected to do more than perform on a trail. Consumers move…
The non-alcoholic beverage market is beginning to move beyond the simple promise of drinking less.…
For clean-energy technology companies, sustainability reporting is increasingly moving beyond a compliance exercise. Investors, customers…