Oil gains ahead of OPEC+ meet but fears of slower demand weigh on market
Shafaq News / Oil prices climbed on Friday on bets that OPEC+ will discuss output cuts at a meeting on Sept. 5, though benchmarks were on track for a steep weekly decline as fears of China's COVID-19 curbs and weak global growth weighed on the market.
Brent crude futures rose $1.68, or 1.8%, to $94.04 a barrel at 0330 GMT, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures jumped $1.66, or 1.9%, to $88.27 a barrel.
Both benchmark contracts slid 3% in the previous session to two-week lows. Brent was headed for a weekly drop of nearly 7%, and WTI was on track to fall about 5% for the week.
The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies, together called OPEC+, are due to meet on Sept. 5 against a backdrop of sliding prices and falling demand, even as top producer Saudi Arabia says supply remains tight.
OPEC+ this week slashed its demand outlook, now forecasting demand to lag supply by 400,000 barrels per day (bpd) in 2022, but it expects a market deficit of 300,000 bpd in its base case for 2023.
"We expect the group to leave output targets unchanged. Their own numbers show a tighter-than-expected market and they would probably also want some more clarity on Iranian supply before making any big changes to output policy," said Warren Patterson, head of commodity research at ING.
(Reuters)
