Oil Up $1 on Tight US Supply, China Demand

Gas prices are seen at a gas station in Los Angeles on September 28, 2023. California gas prices are nearing USD $7 per gallon in some locations as oil prices surge toward $100 a barrel. (Photo by Robyn Beck / AFP)
Gas prices are seen at a gas station in Los Angeles on September 28, 2023. California gas prices are nearing USD $7 per gallon in some locations as oil prices surge toward $100 a barrel. (Photo by Robyn Beck / AFP)
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Oil Up $1 on Tight US Supply, China Demand

Gas prices are seen at a gas station in Los Angeles on September 28, 2023. California gas prices are nearing USD $7 per gallon in some locations as oil prices surge toward $100 a barrel. (Photo by Robyn Beck / AFP)
Gas prices are seen at a gas station in Los Angeles on September 28, 2023. California gas prices are nearing USD $7 per gallon in some locations as oil prices surge toward $100 a barrel. (Photo by Robyn Beck / AFP)

Oil prices rose on Friday and were headed for a gain of about 3% for the week, driven by tight US supply and expectations of strong fuel demand in China during the Golden Week holiday.

US West Texas Intermediate crude (WTI) was up $1.31, or 1.43%, to $93.02 per barrel at 1208 GMT.

Front-month Brent November futures were up 88 cents, or 0.92%, at $96.26 per barrel ahead of the contract's expiry later in the day. The more-liquid Brent December contract was up 97 cents, or 1.04%, at $94.07 per barrel.

A backdrop of tight supplies in the US provided further price support, with storage at Cushing, Oklahoma, the delivery point for US crude futures, already at its lowest since July 2022.

"Any additional decline would threaten to bring them down to a critical level, which could make further withdrawals difficult," said Commerzbank analyst Carsten Fritsch.

China's fuel demand was set to firm as the week-long Golden Week holiday began on Friday.

"(An) increase in international travel during the Golden Week holiday is boosting Chinese oil demand," ANZ analysts said in a client note.

Domestic travel is also expected to boost demand, with data from flight app Umetrip showing the average number of daily flights booked is a fifth higher than for Golden Week in 2019, before COVID.

Meanwhile, inflation in the euro zone fell to a two-year low of 4.3% in September, the latest Eurostat flash reading showed, suggesting the European Central Bank's policy of steady interest rate hikes was taking effect.

Russia is considering introducing fuel export quotas if the current export ban is not effective in bringing down domestic prices.

Russian gasoline and diesel exchange prices on the St. Petersburg International Mercantile Exchange (SPIMEX) fell slightly on Friday.

Brent is forecast to average $89.85 a barrel in the fourth quarter, and $86.45 in 2024, according to a survey of 42 economists compiled by Reuters on Friday.



GASTAT: Inflation Rate in Saudi Arabia Reached 1.9% in December

The Saudi capital Riyadh. Reuters
The Saudi capital Riyadh. Reuters
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GASTAT: Inflation Rate in Saudi Arabia Reached 1.9% in December

The Saudi capital Riyadh. Reuters
The Saudi capital Riyadh. Reuters

The annual inflation rate in Saudi Arabia reached 1.9% in December 2024, according to the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT).

The Kingdom has the lowest inflation rates among the G20 countries.

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) reflects changes in prices paid by consumers for a fixed basket of goods and services consisting of 490 items. This basket was selected based on the results of the household expenditure and income survey conducted in 2018. Prices are collected through on-site visits to sales points.

CPI statistics are published monthly.