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Oil Prices Climb amid US Stocks Decline, Mideast Conflict

FILE PHOTO: A motorist fills a car with fuel at a petrol station in Sydney August 18, 2004. REUTERS
FILE PHOTO: A motorist fills a car with fuel at a petrol station in Sydney August 18, 2004. REUTERS
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Oil Prices Climb amid US Stocks Decline, Mideast Conflict

FILE PHOTO: A motorist fills a car with fuel at a petrol station in Sydney August 18, 2004. REUTERS
FILE PHOTO: A motorist fills a car with fuel at a petrol station in Sydney August 18, 2004. REUTERS

Oil prices extended gains on Wednesday after industry data showed a surprise drop in US crude stocks last week, a positive sign for demand, though markets were also keeping a close eye on hostilities in the Middle East.
Brent crude futures rose 26 cents, or 0.29%, to $88.68 a barrel and US West Texas Intermediate crude futures climbed 26 cents, or 0.31%, to $83.62 a barrel at 0634 GMT, Reuters reported.
US crude inventories fell 3.237 million barrels in the week ended April 19, according to market sources citing American Petroleum Institute figures. In contrast, six analysts polled by Reuters had expected a rise of 800,000 barrels.
Traders will be watching for the official US data on oil and product stockpiles due at 10:30 a.m. EDT (1430 GMT) for confirmation of the big drawdown.
US business activity cooled in April to a four-month low, with S&P Global saying on Tuesday that its flash Composite PMI Output Index, which tracks the manufacturing and services sectors, fell to 50.9 this month from 52.1 in March.
"This could help convince policy makers that rate cuts are required to support the economy," ANZ analysts said in a note.
US interest rate cuts could bolster economic growth and, in turn, demand for oil from the world's top consumer of the fuel.
Analysts were still bullish that any latest developments in conflicts in the Middle East will still support markets, though the impact on oil supplies remains limited for now.
"Overall, crude oil prices are well supported around current levels by on-going Middle East risk premium. On the topside, risk of possible renewed OPEC production increase from Jun will help limit any significant upside," said head of markets strategy for United Overseas Bank (UOB) in Singapore Heng Koon How.
"We maintain our forecast for Brent to consolidate at USD 90/bbl by end of this year," Heng added.
Israeli strikes intensified across Gaza on Tuesday, in some of the heaviest shelling in weeks.
"Recent reports suggest that both Iran and Israel consider the current operations concluded against one another, with no follow-up action required for now," ING analysts said in a note.
"The US and Europe are preparing for new sanctions against Iran – although these may not have a material impact on oil supply in the immediate term," they added.

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US Locks in Steep Tariff Hikes on Chinese Imports

Stacked containers and cranes are shown at the Port of Los Angeles in Los Angeles, California (AFP)
Stacked containers and cranes are shown at the Port of Los Angeles in Los Angeles, California (AFP)
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US Locks in Steep Tariff Hikes on Chinese Imports

Stacked containers and cranes are shown at the Port of Los Angeles in Los Angeles, California (AFP)
Stacked containers and cranes are shown at the Port of Los Angeles in Los Angeles, California (AFP)

The Biden administration on Friday locked in steep tariff hikes on Chinese imports, including a 100% duty on electric vehicles, to strengthen protections for strategic domestic industries from China's state-driven excess production capacity.

The US Trade Representative's office told Reuters that many of the tariffs, including a 100% duty on Chinese EVs, 50% on solar cells and 25% on steel, aluminium, EV batteries and key minerals, would go into effect on Sep 27.

The USTR determination showed a 50% duty on Chinese semiconductors, which now include two new categories - polysilicon used in solar panels and silicon wafers - are due to start in 2025.

Adjustments to the punitive “Section 301” tariffs on $18 billion worth of goods announced in May by President Joe Biden were minimal and disregarded auto industry pleas for lower tariffs on graphite and critical minerals needed for EV battery production because they are still too dependent on Chinese supplies.

USTR left unchanged the tariff increase to 25% from zero on lithium-ion batteries, minerals and components, with the increase for batteries for EVs taking effect Sep 27 and those for all other devices, including laptops and cell phones, on Jan 1, 2026.

Lael Brainard, the top White House economic adviser, told Reuters that the decision was made to ensure that the US EV industry diversifies away from China's dominant supply chain.

She said such “tough, targeted” tariffs are needed to counteract China's state-driven subsidies and technology transfer policies that have led to over-investment and excess production capacity.

But Washington is investing hundreds of billions of dollars worth of its own tax subsidies to develop domestic EV, solar and semiconductor sectors.

“The 100% tariff on electric vehicles here does reflect the very significant unfair cost advantage that Chinese electric vehicles in particular are using to dominate car markets at a breathtaking pace in other parts of the world,” Brainard said.

China has vowed retaliation against the “bullying” tariff hikes and argued that its EV industry's success is due to innovation, not government support.

The higher US tariffs take effect as Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump are both courting voters in auto and steel producing states, trying to position themselves as tough on China ahead of the November presidential election.

Trump has vowed to impose 60% tariffs on all Chinese imports.

The European Union and Canada also have announced new import tariffs on Chinese EVs, the latter matching the 100% US duties.

The final tariff decision does provide some temporary relief for US port operators who were facing a new 25% tariff on massive ship-to-shore cranes, an industry that China dominates with no US producers.

The duty would add millions of dollars to the cost of each crane.

USTR said it will allow exclusions from the tariffs for any Chinese port cranes that were ordered prior to the May 14 initial tariff announcements, as long as they are delivered by May 14, 2026.

USTR raised tariffs to 50% on medical face masks and surgical gloves, from an initially proposed 2%, but delayed their start to allow a shift to non-Chinese suppliers.

The planned duty on Chinese syringes, which were in short supply during the COVID-19 pandemic, will immediately rise to 100% from a previously planned 50%, but USTR will allow a temporary exclusion for enteral syringes, used to feed infants, for a year.

The agency also said it will consider requests for tariff exclusions for five Chinese industrial machinery categories, including those for machinery for purifying or filtering liquids, industrial robots and printing machinery.

It will allow tariff exclusions for Chinese solar wafer and cell manufacturing equipment, but not for equipment used to make full solar modules.