💎 Fed’s first rate cut since 2020 set to trigger market. Find undervalued gems with Fair ValueSee Undervalued Stocks

Oil slips on U.S. demand concerns, Europe debt woes

Published 09/14/2011, 11:41 PM
Updated 09/14/2011, 11:44 PM
NYF
-

* Fundamentals, financial outlook point to lower prices

* Brent may fall towards $110 -technicals

* Coming Up: U.S. industrial output data for Aug; 1315 GMT

By Alejandro Barbajosa

SINGAPORE, Sept 15 (Reuters) - Oil fell on Thursday as rising fuel stocks and falling demand in top consumer the United States reinforced views that slowing economic growth and Europe's debt crisis will dent energy use, while a stronger dollar also kept prices under pressure.

Brent crude slid 32 cents to $112.08 a barrel by 0302 GMT, down 12 percent from this year's peak above $127. The front-month October contract expires later on Thursday. U.S. crude fell 28 cents to $88.63.

Europe's debt crisis is chipping away confidence and capping any oil rally. The continent's finance ministers have been warned confidentially of the danger of a renewed credit crunch as a "systemic" crisis in euro zone sovereign debt spills over to banks.

"The concern is that what starts as a financial crisis will drive the cost of borrowing to levels where it is difficult for the corporate world to invest, depressing economic activity and putting pressure on oil," said Michael McCarthy, chief markets strategist at CMC Markets in Sydney.

"The dollar is also a key driver."

Asian stocks bounced on Thursday, yet investors remained wary that obstacles which policymakers face in Europe could weigh on the euro and Asian currencies in the medium term. The dollar index firmed 0.1 percent.

World Bank President Robert Zoellick said on Wednesday the world had entered a new economic danger zone and Europe, Japan and the United States all needed to make hard decisions to avoid dragging down the global economy.

Reflecting slowing growth, U.S. total oil product demand over the past four weeks fell 0.9 percent from a year earlier, while gasoline use over the summer declined to an eight-year low, the Energy Information Administration said on Wednesday.

Gasoline stocks last week rose 1.9 million barrels, compared with analyst projections for a 500,000 barrel decline, while average demand for the motor fuel in the last four weeks fell 2.7 percent from year-ago levels, the EIA said.

Distillates, which include heating oil and diesel, rose 1.7 million barrels, compared with an average forecast for a 700,000-barrel gain.

Traders paid little attention to the biggest weekly drop in crude stockpiles this year, a 6.7-million-barrel decline, which came on the back of disruptions cause by Tropical Storm Lee. That left inventories at their lowest level since February.

Libyan crude has returned to the spot market as Vitol is offering 1 million barrels for early-October loading into the Mediterranean, trade sources said on Wednesday. (Editing by Himani Sarkar)

Latest comments

Risk Disclosure: Trading in financial instruments and/or cryptocurrencies involves high risks including the risk of losing some, or all, of your investment amount, and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and may be affected by external factors such as financial, regulatory or political events. Trading on margin increases the financial risks.
Before deciding to trade in financial instrument or cryptocurrencies you should be fully informed of the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and seek professional advice where needed.
Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. The data and prices on the website are not necessarily provided by any market or exchange, but may be provided by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual price at any given market, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Fusion Media and any provider of the data contained in this website will not accept liability for any loss or damage as a result of your trading, or your reliance on the information contained within this website.
It is prohibited to use, store, reproduce, display, modify, transmit or distribute the data contained in this website without the explicit prior written permission of Fusion Media and/or the data provider. All intellectual property rights are reserved by the providers and/or the exchange providing the data contained in this website.
Fusion Media may be compensated by the advertisers that appear on the website, based on your interaction with the advertisements or advertisers.
© 2007-2024 - Fusion Media Limited. All Rights Reserved.