Oil Steadies While Virus Resurgence Casts Shadow Over Demand

Jul 27, 2021

(Bloomberg) Oil steadied as investors assessed the outlook for global demand amid a resurgence in Covid-19 that’s leading to tighter restrictions.Futures fluctuated near $72 a barrel in New York. The rebound in key energy consumers such as the U.S. and China has helped to underpin increasing fuel consumption and drained bloated stockpiles built up during the pandemic. The fast-spreading delta variant, however, has raised some concerns about the short-term demand outlook.

Oil has run into headwinds this month due to the Covid-19 comeback

“The rapid spread of the delta variant of the coronavirus is causing unease amongst market players as demand forecasts might have to be revised downwards due to the re-introduction of lockdowns and mobility restrictions all over the world,” said Tamas Varga, an analyst at PVM Oil Associates Ltd. in London.

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Delta has interrupted a rally in oil that started late last year and has prices heading for only the second monthly drop since October. The flare-up has crimped fuel demand in some regions and coincided with an agreement by OPEC+ to add more supply from August. While headwinds are mounting, there are expectations that the market with continue to tighten throughout 2021.

Prices
West Texas Intermediate for September delivery was up 0.2% at $72.06 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange at 9:46 a.m. in London. Brent for September settlement was little changed at $74.76 on the ICE Futures Europe exchange after gaining 0.5% on Monday.

Covid-19 infections globally have jumped due to a surge across the U.S. and low vaccination levels in Southeast Asian nations. The positive test rate in Indonesia is the worst in Asia, while Thailand and Vietnam have introduced curfews to curb the spread of the virus.

Other market news:
Ethane, a key component in plastic production, is trading at a nearly two-and-a-half-year high in the U.S., with demand surging as global economies recover from last year’s slump. A former U.K-based oil trader at Glencore Plc pleaded guilty in the U.S. to participating in an international scheme to bribe officials in Nigeria to win favorable treatment from the state-owned oil company. American Airlines Group Inc. and Southwest Airlines Co. are carrying extra jet fuel on some flights and considering adding stops to other routes to pick up fuel as snarls in U.S. trucking and supply chains delay deliveries to small and mid-sized airports across the country.

Other market news:

Ethane, a key component in plastic production, is trading at a nearly two-and-a-half-year high in the U.S., with demand surging as global economies recover from last year’s slump.
A former U.K-based oil trader at Glencore Plc pleaded guilty in the U.S. to participating in an international scheme to bribe officials in Nigeria to win favorable treatment from the state-owned oil company.
American Airlines Group Inc. and Southwest Airlines Co. are carrying extra jet fuel on some flights and considering adding stops to other routes to pick up fuel as snarls in U.S. trucking and supply chains delay deliveries to small and mid-sized airports across the country.