Oil settles above $81 with OPEC+ sticking to output increase
Reuters
Published Oct 03, 2021 10:20PM ET
Updated Oct 04, 2021 03:51PM ET
By Laura Sanicola
(Reuters) -Oil jumped to a three-year peak on Monday after OPEC+ confirmed it would stick to its current output policy as demand for petroleum products rebounds, despite pressure from some countries for a bigger boost to production.
The producer club's decision to keep increasing oil output gradually sent prices sharply higher, adding to inflationary pressures that consuming nations fear will derail an economic recovery from the pandemic.
OPEC+ agreed in July to boost output by 400,000 barrels per day (bpd) each month until at least April 2022 to phase out 5.8 million bpd of existing production cuts.
Brent crude settled up $1.98, or 2.5%, to $81.26 a barrel. It rose 1.5% last week for a fourth consecutive weekly gain, and was back up to highs last seen in 2018.
U.S. oil (CLc1) settled up $1.74, or 2.3%, to $77.62 a barrel after gaining for the past six weeks, and was at its highest since 2014.
"Given the demand picture and the outcome of the OPEC meeting, the overall sentiment around crude is bullish," said John Kilduff, partner at Again Capital LLC in New York.
Demand for coal and natural gas has exceeded pre-COVID-19 highs with oil closely trailing, according to energy watchdog, the International Energy Agency. Three-quarters of global energy demand is still met by fossil fuels, with less than a fifth by non-nuclear renewables.
OPEC+, which groups the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and allies including Russia, has faced pressure from some countries to add back more barrels to the market as demand has recovered faster than expected in some parts of the world.
Four OPEC+ sources told Reuters recently that producers were considering boosting output by more than had already been agreed.
The oil price rally has also been fuelled by an even bigger increase in gas prices https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/whats-behind-wild-surges-global-lng-prices-risks-ahead-2021-10-01, which have spiked by 300%, prompting switching to fuel oil and other crude products to generate electricity and for other industrial needs.
Get The News You Want
Written By: Reuters
Trading in financial instruments and/or cryptocurrencies involves high risks including the risk of losing some, or all, of your investment amount, and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and may be affected by external factors such as financial, regulatory or political events. Trading on margin increases the financial risks.
Before deciding to trade in financial instrument or cryptocurrencies you should be fully informed of the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and seek professional advice where needed.
Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. The data and prices on the website are not necessarily provided by any market or exchange, but may be provided by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual price at any given market, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Fusion Media and any provider of the data contained in this website will not accept liability for any loss or damage as a result of your trading, or your reliance on the information contained within this website.
It is prohibited to use, store, reproduce, display, modify, transmit or distribute the data contained in this website without the explicit prior written permission of Fusion Media and/or the data provider. All intellectual property rights are reserved by the providers and/or the exchange providing the data contained in this website.
Fusion Media may be compensated by the advertisers that appear on the website, based on your interaction with the advertisements or advertisers.