Oil Prices Jump 2% After Tanker Attacks
Oil prices settled 2.2% higher on Thursday after attacks on two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman stoked concerns of reduced crude trade flows through one of the world's key shipping routes.The attacks near Iran and the Strait of Hormuz reignited worries about an impact to flows from the Middle East if insurance companies begin to reduce coverage for voyages through the region and additional shipping companies suspend new bookings, analysts said.Such a disruption "could further exacerbate the supply problem…
Oil Slides toward Weekly Loss on Excess Supply Worries
Oil prices fell for a sixth day on Friday, and were on track for their biggest weekly loss in 10 months, as record-high U.S. crude output added to concerns about a sharp rise in global supplies. The drop came amid a rout in global equity markets sparked by inflation fears. Brent futures were down 81 cents at $64 a barrel by 1502 GMT. Earlier in the day, they fell as far as $63.70, the lowest since Dec. 20. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude was down 80 cents at $60.35 a barrel, after falling to as low as $60.07, its lowest since Dec. 29.
Oil Rallies on Chinese Import Boost and Mideast Tensions
Oil prices firmed on Friday as bullish news from strong Chinese oil imports to turmoil in the Middle East put Brent on track for a nearly 3 percent weekly gain. The developments added to other signs that the market was finally rebalancing after years of excess, but analysts warned that the 2018 balance was still shaky. Brent was at $57.20 at 1335 GMT, up 95 cents. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude was at $51.44 per barrel, up 84 cents from its last settlement. The contracts were on track for weekly gains of more than 2 percent and 4 percent, respectively.
