Oil costs fall on demand issues, robust greenback

By Colleen Howe

BEIJING (Reuters) – Oil costs fell in early buying and selling on Friday on worries about demand progress in 2025, particularly in prime crude importer China, placing world oil benchmarks on observe to finish the week down greater than 2%.

Brent crude futures fell by 31 cents, or 0.43%, to $72.57 a barrel by 0139 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures fell 26 cents, or 0.26%, to $69.12 per barrel.

Chinese language state-owned refiner Sinopec (OTC:SHIIY) mentioned in its annual power outlook, launched on Thursday, that China’s imports might peak as quickly as 2025 and the nation’s oil consumption would peak by 2027 as diesel and gasoline demand weaken.

The greenback’s climb to a two-year excessive additionally weighed on oil costs, after the Federal Reserve flagged it could be cautious about chopping rates of interest in 2025.

A stronger greenback makes oil costlier for holders of different currencies, whereas a slower tempo of charge cuts might dampen financial progress and trim oil demand.

J.P. Morgan sees the oil market shifting from steadiness in 2024 to a surplus of 1.2 million barrels per day (bpd) in 2025, because the financial institution forecasts non-OPEC+ progress rising by 1.8 million bpd in 2025 and OPEC output remaining at present ranges.

In a transfer that might pare provide, G7 international locations are contemplating methods to tighten the value cap on Russian oil, equivalent to with an outright ban or by reducing the value threshold, Bloomberg reported on Thursday. Russia has evaded the $60 per barrel cap imposed in 2022 utilizing its “shadow fleet” of ships, which the EU and Britain have focused with additional sanctions in latest days.