Crude Settles Lower on Cyprus Worries
Crude-oil futures prices settled weaker Thursday, knocked lower by concerns over the ongoing debt crisis in Cyprus and worries it could spread further into Europe.
Traders said high U.S. oil inventories and weak demand in the world's biggest oil consumer also kept prices down.
The European Central Bank has warned it won't extend beyond Monday the emergency funding that has kept Cypriot banks in operation while a bailout plan was being negotiated. The Cypriot Parliament rejected an earlier package that included a tax levy on bank accounts in the island nation, fueling fears of a run on banks, which have been ordered to close this week.
Worries about Cyprus sparked fears debt problems could flare anew elsewhere in Europe and have weighed on the euro, sending the common currency down against the dollar. In times of dollar strength, some investors using foreign currencies avoid dollar-based investments such as oil futures as they become pricier due to currency issues.
"Cyprus is completely unresolved" and people are becoming "a little more cautious" about buying crude-oil futures, said Peter Donovan, vice president at Vantage Trading.
Mark Waggoner, president of Excel Futures, said the oil market was overbought and in need of a correction. But he expects prices will recover once the market is no longer "spooked" over Cyprus. That front-month Nymex crude held above its 20-day average on trading charts of $92.29 a barrel signaled potential for recovery, he said.
Light, sweet crude oil for May delivery on the New York Mercantile Exchange settled 1.1%, or $1.05 lower, at $92.45 a barrel. May ICE North Sea Brent crude oil fell $1.25 to $107.47 a barrel.
For the second time this week, Brent's premium to the U.S. benchmark narrowed to the lowest level since last July. The spread was $15.02 a barrel Thursday.
Brent crude supplies have been rising after output snags have been resolved, and are facing increased competition from higher flows of similar grades of oil from West Africa. Shell said Thursday it was restoring shipments of Bonny Light crude after a pipeline was shut earlier this month after being damaged in an attempted oil theft.
At the same, more U.S. outlook is making its way to the U.S. Gulf refining region by pipeline and rail, where it competes directly with imports, putting further pressure on Brent and similar crudes.
The Energy Information Administration reported Wednesday U.S. crude-oil stocks fell by 1.3 million barrels last week, while analysts expected a 1.7-million barrel rise. The surprise decline followed nine straight weeks of increases that plumped up inventories by 24 million barrels.
But even with the decline, crude stocks, at near 383 million barrels, are unusually high and 12% above the five-year average for this time of year, the biggest surplus in two months. At the same time, the EIA said U.S. oil demand dropped last week to its lowest level since January.
April-delivery reformulated blendstock gasoline futures settled 4.57 cents lower, at $3.0706 a gallon, while April heating oil rose 0.42 cent, to settle at $2.8963 a gallon.
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
Generated by readers, the comments included herein do not reflect the views and opinions of Rigzone. All comments are subject to editorial review. Off-topic, inappropriate or insulting comments will be removed.
- Blockchain Demands Attention in Oil and Gas
- Macquarie Sees USA Oil Production Exiting 2024 at 14MM Barrels Per Day
- CNPC Opens Sea-Land Oil Storage and Transport Facility in Bangladesh
- Oman Sees Increasing Ship-to-Ship Transfers of Russian Oil Bound for India
- US Govt Makes Record Investment of $6B for Industrial Decarbonization
- Eni, Fincantieri, RINA Ink Deal on Maritime Decarbonization
- Perenco Still Searching for Missing Person After Platform Incident
- Czech Utility CEZ Bucks Weaker Prices, Demand to Log Record Annual Profit
- Oil Falls as US Inventories Increase
- Ithaca Energy Studies Deal for Eni's UK Upstream Assets
- Equinor Makes Discovery in North Sea
- Standard Chartered Reiterates $94 Brent Call
- India Halts Russia Oil Supplies From Sanctioned Tanker Giant
- DOI Announces Proposal for Second GOM Offshore Wind Auction
- Centcom, Dryad Outline Recent Moves Around Red Sea Region
- PetroChina Set to Receive Venezuelan Oil
- Czech Conglomerate to Buy Major Stake in Gasnet for $917MM
- US DOE Offers $44MM in Funding to Boost Clean Power Distribution
- Oil Settles Lower as Stronger Dollar Offsets Tighter Market
- UK Grid Operator Receives Aid to Advance Rural Decarbonization
- Chinese Mega Company Makes Major Oilfield Discovery
- VIDEO: Missile Attack Kills Crew Transiting Gulf of Aden
- Norway Regulator Blasts Proposal to Halt New Oil and Gas Permits
- Chinese Mega Company Makes Another Major Oilfield Discovery
- What Is the Biggest Risk to Offshore Oil and Gas Personnel in 2024?
- Vessel Sinks in Red Sea After Missile Strike
- Exxon Rights in Stabroek Do Not Apply to Hess Merger with Chevron: Hess
- Analysts Reveal Latest Oil Price Outlook Following OPEC+ Cut Extension
- Equinor Makes Discovery in North Sea
- Standard Chartered Reiterates $94 Brent Call