Shafaq News / OPEC on Wednesday cut its 2022 forecast for growth in world oil demand for a fourth time since April and also trimmed next year's figure, citing slowing economies, the resurgence of China's COVID-19 containment measures and high inflation.

Oil demand will increase by 2.64 million barrels per day (bpd) or 2.7% in 2022, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) said in a monthly report, down 460,000 bpd from the previous forecast.

The lower demand outlook gives additional context for last week's move by OPEC and its allies, known as OPEC+, to make their largest cut in output since 2020 to support the market. The United States criticized the decision.

Next year, OPEC expects oil demand to rise by 2.34 million bpd, 360,000 bpd lower than previously forecast, to 102.02 million bpd. OPEC still expects demand in 2023 to exceed the pre-pandemic rate of 2019.

OPEC cut its 2022 global economic growth forecast to 2.7% from 3.1%, trimmed next year's figure to 2.5% and said there was potential for further weakness.

(Reuters)