Brent Crude Falls Below US$98
Brent crude dropped below $98 a barrel on Thursday, falling for the sixth straight session, as worries about ample supply and weak demand, which have dragged prices to 17-month lows, outweighed geopolitical concerns in the Middle East. The market was concerned about the impact of the expansion of U.S. military action, with its plans for air strikes in Syria and more attacks in Iraq, on the latter's oil output, said Phin Ziebell, economist at the National Australia Bank in Melbourne. "More broadly, it's one of supply with the U.S. boosting output from unconventional sources, while demand is pretty flat," Ziebell said. Brent climbed in…
Brent Crude Falls Below US$104
Brent crude fell below $104 a barrel on Thursday, after briefly bouncing off a 13-month low the previous day, on ample supplies and concerns about weak demand despite the ongoing political turmoil in Iraq and Ukraine. * Coming up: U.S. Oil exports from Libya's Ras Lanuf port have resumed after a year of blockades by armed protesters, while U.S. crude stocks unexpectedly rose last week. September Brent crude fell 48 cents to $103.80 a barrel by 0655 GMT. The contract, expiring on Thursday, fell to $102.37 on Wednesday, its weakest since July 2013. U.S. crude was down 46 cents at $97.13 a barrel. "The supply outlook has been pretty rosy. OPEC production has been pretty good. Supply in Iraq is unaffected," said Phin Ziebell, economist at the National Australia Bank (NAB).
