INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Oil pared its biggest weekly drop since July ahead of the resumption of trade talks between US and China later this week that may sway a
cloudy demand outlook.
Futures in New York added as much as 0.8 per cent after losing 5.5 per cent last week
Chinese officials are signaling they’re increasingly reluctant to agree to a broad deal pursued by President Donald Trump, according to
people familiar with the discussions, before highlevel talks that are set to resume Thursday.
Oil fell for eight days through Thursday as a
slew of disappointing economic data highlighted the increasing toll the trade war is taking on the global economy
Prices are now well below the level just before the September 14 attacks on Saudi Arabia, even amid a lack of progress in resolving tensions
The end of the US summer driving season is also eroding demand, with hedge fund bets on a crude price rally falling to an eight-month
low.
“The two parties are going to sit down again this week and let’s see what happens,” said Tamas Varga, analyst at PVM Oil
“Looking at the supply-demand balance, I think this market should be higher, but it’s driven by sentiment.”
West Texas Intermediate
for November delivery added 28 cents to $53.09 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange as of 10:48 am in London.
Brent for December
settlement added 22 cents to $58.59 a barrel on the London-based ICE Futures Europe Exchange
The global benchmark crude traded at a premium of $5.59 to WTI for the same month