Oil Edges Higher Amid Signs of Drop in U.S. Fuel Stockpiles

Jul 28, 2021

(Bloomberg) Oil rose in New York after an industry report pointed to a decline in U.S. fuel and crude stockpiles, compounding signs that demand is tightening global markets.West Texas Intermediate futures added 0.7% to trade above $72 a barrel after slipping for a second session on Tuesday. The American Petroleum Institute reported a 6.23 million-barrel weekly drop in gasoline inventories, according to people familiar with the figures. That would be the biggest draw in motor fuel stockpiles since March if confirmed by government data later Wednesday.

Oil's rally has been interrupted this month amid a Covid-19 resurgence

Global inventories are expected to tighten through the rest of the year as key energy consumers continue to rebound from the pandemic, although the latest Covid-19 resurgence is raising concerns about the short-term demand outlook. The fast-spreading delta variant has led to renewed restrictions in some regions, putting crude on track for its second monthly loss since October.

“Pricing pressures have been temporarily put on hold amid the ongoing tug-of-war between delta variant concerns and expectations of crude deficits,” said Stephen Brennock, an analyst at PVM Oil Associates Ltd.

Delta has presented a challenge to the bumper profits being earned in the refining sector, where some companies are having their best performance in years. Processors are eager to make the most of improved margins, yet remain wary that renewed demand weakness could lead to bloated stockpiles and squeeze margins again.

Prices
West Texas Intermediate for September delivery rose 0.7% to $72.12 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange at 1:34 p.m. London time, after losing 0.6% over the previous two sessions. Brent for September settlement gained 0.5% to $74.83 on the ICE Futures Europe exchange, after closing little changed on Tuesday. Brent’s prompt timespread was 91 cents a barrel in backwardation, compared with 60 cents a week earlier.

Prices

West Texas Intermediate for September delivery rose 0.7% to $72.12 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange at 1:34 p.m. London time, after losing 0.6% over the previous two sessions.
Brent for September settlement gained 0.5% to $74.83 on the ICE Futures Europe exchange, after closing little changed on Tuesday.
- Brent’s prompt timespread was 91 cents a barrel in backwardation, compared with 60 cents a week earlier.

U.S. crude inventories fell by 4.73 million barrels last week, the API said. That would be the ninth draw in 10 weeks if confirmed by the Energy Information Administration on Wednesday. A Bloomberg survey shows a 2.5 million-barrel decline in stockpiles.

Other market news:
Some Middle Eastern oil producers are seeing crude pegged to their own official selling prices sliding into discounts in the Asian spot market, with the shift driven both by a slowdown in Chinese crude purchases and high OSPs. Investors just pulled a net $128.7 million from one of the world’s biggest oil exchange-traded funds as the ongoing spread of the delta variant has slowed oil’s rally. Equinor ASA more than doubled its quarterly profit and confirmed share buybacks on Wednesday. Royal Dutch Shell Plc and TotalEnergies SE report results Thursday, while Exxon Mobil Corp. and Chevron Corp. follow on Friday.

Other market news:

Some Middle Eastern oil producers are seeing crude pegged to their own official selling prices sliding into discounts in the Asian spot market, with the shift driven both by a slowdown in Chinese crude purchases and high OSPs.
Investors just pulled a net $128.7 million from one of the world’s biggest oil exchange-traded funds as the ongoing spread of the delta variant has slowed oil’s rally.
Equinor ASA more than doubled its quarterly profit and confirmed share buybacks on Wednesday. Royal Dutch Shell Plc and TotalEnergies SE report results Thursday, while Exxon Mobil Corp. and Chevron Corp. follow on Friday.