Oil prices slump as China, U.S. trade tensions continue

Oil prices were lower on Friday, as geopolitical tensions continued between the U.S. and China. Crude oil futures fell 0.38 percent to $63.30 a barrel by 8:36 GMT. Brent crude futures, the benchmark for oil prices outside the U.S., was down 25 cents, or 0.37percent, to $68.08 a barrel, according to investing.com. U.S. President Donald Trump […]

US shale oil to drive crude prices below $60- Fitch

Fitch Ratings, said in a report Wednesday that the U.S.’ rising shale oil production is expected to drive crude oil prices below $60 a barrel this year, where they will remain in the long-term, The global rating agency said U.S. shale growth should result in a production surplus in 2018, which would result in global […]

Investors renew inflows into industrial commodities as Chinese factory activity firms oil prices

Oil paced up on Wednesday as strong Chinese factory activity renewed investor inflows into industrial commodities such as copper, although fast-growing U.S. crude output tempered price gains. China reported a 7.2 percent year-on-year increase in industrial output in the first two months of the year, beating roundly expectations and, in a dose of support for oil bulls, […]

Iraq boosts output capacity at Kirkuk oil refinery, says oil ministry

Jabar al-Luaibi, citing Oil Minister.

Iraq’s Oil Ministry has added a new processing unit to the Kirkuk oil refinery, increasing the plant’s capacity to 56,000 barrels per day, the ministry said in a statement on Monday, according to Reuters. The new production unit can process 13,000 barrels per day of crude, the statement said, Jabar al-Luaibi, citing Oil Minister. The […]

Hedge funds add bullish oil bets as mideast tension heats up

The Middle East is kicking things up a notch in the oil market. Hedge-fund bets on rising Brent crude hit a fresh record as tension in the oil-rich region escalated, sending prices to their highest in more than two years. Disruptions in exporters Libya, Nigeria and Venezuela in past months hadn’t fazed investors enough to trigger strong […]

Oil steadies near $57 per barrel before U.S. crude inventory data

Oil steadied in New York before weekly data on crude inventories in the U.S., the world’s biggest oil consumer. Futures were little changed after slipping 0.3 percent on Tuesday, the first decline in four sessions. Crude inventories fell by 1.56 million barrels last week, while motor-fuel stockpiles gained 520,000 barrels, the industry-funded American Petroleum Institute […]

Oil slips after entering bull market on Kurdish export threat

Oil prices slipped after entering a bull market amid heightened geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, while Trafigura Group and Citigroup Inc. both warned of a looming supply squeeze. Crude in New York fell 0.7 percent as traders cashed in after yesterday’s 3.1 percent surge. The oil market is nearing the end of the “lower-for-longer” […]