SINGAPORE (Reuters) – Oil futures fell early on Thursday because the dollar firmed on the Federal Reserve’s hawkish stance, but concerns over looming supply risks kept a floor under prices.
Brent crude shed 44 cents, or 0.5%, to $95.72 a barrel at 0146 GMT, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures retreated 59 cents, or 0.7%, to $89.41.
The benchmarks settled up greater than $1 on Wednesday, aided by one other drop in U.S. oil inventories, whilst the Fed boosted rates of interest by 75 basis points and Chair Jerome Powell said it was premature to take into consideration pausing rate increases. [EIA/S]
A robust dollar is dragging down oil, with some market participants also likely booking profits following recent gains, CMC Markets analyst Tina Teng said. [USD/]
“With the Fed confirming the next peak in rates, a darkened global economic outlook could proceed to pressure the oil’s futures markets,” Teng added.
But global supply risks still loom large.
The European Union’s embargo on Russian oil for its invasion of Ukraine is about to begin on Dec. 5 and shall be followed by a halt on oil product imports in February.
Also more likely to keep supply tight in coming months, OPEC producers may struggle to hit previously set output quotas, ANZ analysts said in a note.
Output from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) fell in October for the primary time since June.
On the demand side, any indication of a reopening in China following COVID-19 restrictions may very well be a “monster pivot”, said Stephen Innes, managing partner of SPI Asset Management.
(Reporting by Arpan Varghese; Editing by Himani Sarkar)
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