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Summary
- Crude down for a third consecutive session
- US crude inventories rise by 2.4 million barrels
- OPEC+ to consider further output hike on Sunday, sources say
(Reuters) – Oil extended its decline into a third session on Friday, heading for a weekly loss for the first time in three weeks as expectations grow of higher supply and a surprise increase in U.S. crude inventories added to demand concerns.
Reuters reported on Wednesday that eight members of OPEC+ will consider raising production further at a meeting on Sunday. U.S. crude inventories rose 2.4 million barrels last week, rather than falling as analysts expected.
Brent crude futures fell 51 cents, or 0.8%, to $66.48 a barrel by 1205 GMT, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude dropped 52 cents, or 0.8%, to $62.96.
“There are increasing stories and signs of a future where feedstock supply is unlikely to be a problem,” said John Evans at oil broker PVM.
For the week, Brent is down 2.4% and WTI down 1.7%.
Expectations are growing that the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies like Russia – known together as OPEC+ – will push more barrels into the market to regain market share at Sunday’s meeting.
Another boost would mean that OPEC+, which pumps about half of the world’s oil, would be starting to unwind a second layer of output cuts of about 1.65 million barrels per day, or 1.6% of world demand, more than a year ahead of schedule.
Strength in the downstream sector has been a key support for prices, BMI analysts said in a report, but refining margins will likely be squeezed in coming months as global demand growth wanes and refiners ramp up maintenance.
Supply risks continue to support the market, however. U.S. President Donald Trump told European leaders on Thursday that Europe must stop buying Russian oil, a White House official said.
Any cuts to Russia’s crude exports or other disruption to supplies could push global oil prices higher.
Additional reporting by Siyi Liu in Singapore, Editing by Alexandra Hudson and Nick Zieminsk
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