Oil Prices Flat as Investors Await U.S. Inventory Data

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(Reuters) – Oil prices were broadly flat on Thursday as investors waited on developments in the Middle East, the release of official U.S. oil inventory data and details on China’s stimulus plans.

Brent crude futures were up 25 cents to $74.47 a barrel at 0834 GMT, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures were at $70.64 a barrel, also up 25 cents.

Both benchmarks settled down on Wednesday, closing at their lowest levels since Oct. 2 for a second day in a row, after OPEC and the International Energy Agency cut demand forecasts for 2024 and 2025.

Prices have also fallen as fears eased that a retaliatory attack by Israel on Iran for the latter’s Oct. 1 missile strike could disrupt oil supplies, though uncertainty remains over how the conflict in the Middle East will develop.

“The country’s forthcoming retaliatory measures against Iran are still not clear,” said John Evans of oil broker PVM.

He added that the Middle East “will certainly provide enough reason to move oil prices again soon enough and investors today will also be preoccupied with an abundance of financial data”.

Among that data are U.S. oil inventories. The Energy Information Administration (EIA) will release its official government data at 11 a.m. EDT (1500 GMT).

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The American Petroleum Institute’s Wednesday figures showed crude and fuel stocks fell last week, market sources said, against expectations of a build-up in crude stockpiles.

“Any signs of weak demand in EIA’s weekly inventory report could put further downward pressure on oil prices,” ANZ analysts said.

PVM’s Evans also cited Thursday’s U.S. jobless claims data at 8.30 a.m. EDT (1230 GMT) and a rate decision from the European Central Bank.

That decision may support oil prices if the bank goes ahead with lowering interest rates again, the first back-to-back rate cut in 13 years, as it shifts focus from cooling inflation to protecting economic growth.

Investors are also waiting for further details from Beijing on broad plans announced on Oct. 12 to revive its ailing economy, including efforts to shore up its ailing property market.