UAE- Oil prices claw higher but weekly loss looms on supply excess

Date

2/18/2016 5:06:53 AM

(MENAFN- Khaleej Times)

Oil prices jumped on Friday on prospects of a coordinated production cut sparked by comments from the energy minister of OPEC member United Arab Emirates.

Still analysts said such a move remained unlikely and prices for Brent and US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude were on track for weekly losses of more than 7 per cent and 11 percent respectively weighed down by oversupply.

Brent gained as much as 6 percent against the previous day's settle and was up 4.42 per cent at $31.39 per barrel at 1216 GMT.

WTI futures gained as much as 6 percent and were up 4.46 per cent at $27.38 per barrel at 1216 GMT after hitting lows not seen since 2003 in the previous session.

Traders said the jump in WTI could have been a result of US producers unwinding hedges they had locked in at higher prices in order to generate cash to service debt and costs.

Analysts said they saw little chance of a common policy from OPEC producers.

Ayham Kamel Middle East and North Africa director at Eurasia Group said it was unlikely there would be a serious discussion of any deal between Iran and Saudi Arabia until there was clarity on Iran's post-sanctions output.

"Even then the fact that US shale production is responsive to prices on a much shorter timeframe than other oil production also means that there is less of an incentive to work to transcend the geopolitical tensions and come to an agreement within OPEC or even one including Russia" Kamel said.

Oil prices have tumbled over 70 per cent since mid-2014 as producers pump 1-2 million barrels of crude every day in excess of demand as economic growth stalls led by China's slowdown.

"Oil is highly volatile" Bjarne Schieldrop chief commodities analyst at SEB in Oslo said adding "it's very clear that we're still running in a surplus situation and stocks are building".

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