Oil Prices Tick Up on Sharp Fall in US Crude Inventories

The sun is seen behind a crude oil pump jack in the Permian Basin in Loving County, Texas, US, November 22, 2019. REUTERS/Angus Mordant
The sun is seen behind a crude oil pump jack in the Permian Basin in Loving County, Texas, US, November 22, 2019. REUTERS/Angus Mordant
TT

Oil Prices Tick Up on Sharp Fall in US Crude Inventories

The sun is seen behind a crude oil pump jack in the Permian Basin in Loving County, Texas, US, November 22, 2019. REUTERS/Angus Mordant
The sun is seen behind a crude oil pump jack in the Permian Basin in Loving County, Texas, US, November 22, 2019. REUTERS/Angus Mordant

Oil prices edged higher on Thursday for the third straight session after government data showed a steep draw in US crude stockpiles, rebounding from multi-month lows touched this week.
Brent crude futures rose 23 cents, or 0.3%, at $78.56 a barrel by 0017 GMT, while US West Texas Intermediate crude gained 29 cents, or 0.4%, to $75.52.
Brent tumbled to its weakest since early January on Monday, and WTI dipped to its lowest since February, hurt by worry over a US recession and a selloff in global stocks.
US crude inventories fell for a sixth week in a row last week, dropping by 3.7 million barrels to 429.3 million barrels last week, government data showed, against analyst expectations in a Reuters poll for a 700,000-barrel draw.
Investors also continued to debate the state of supply as US Energy Information Administration data showed production jumped by 100,000 barrels per day (bpd) to a record 13.4 million bpd in the week ended Aug. 2.
However, the potential for Middle East supply disruptions worried markets after the killing of senior members of militant groups Hamas and Hezbollah last week raised the possibility of retaliatory strikes by Iran against Israel.
While no supply has been impacted so far, attacks on ships in the Red Sea have forced tankers to take longer routes meaning more oil stays on the water for longer.
Meanwhile, Libya's National Oil Corporation has declared force majeure in its Sharara oilfield from Tuesday, a statement said, adding that the company had gradually reduced the field's production due to protests.



Federal Reserve Cuts Key Rate by Sizable Half-point

News screens display the Federal Reserve rate announcement on the trading floor at The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, US, September 18, 2024. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly
News screens display the Federal Reserve rate announcement on the trading floor at The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, US, September 18, 2024. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly
TT

Federal Reserve Cuts Key Rate by Sizable Half-point

News screens display the Federal Reserve rate announcement on the trading floor at The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, US, September 18, 2024. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly
News screens display the Federal Reserve rate announcement on the trading floor at The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, US, September 18, 2024. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly

The Federal Reserve on Wednesday cut its benchmark interest rate by an unusually large half-point, a dramatic shift after more than two years of high rates helped tame inflation but that also made borrowing painfully expensive for American consumers.
The rate cut, the Fed’s first in more than four years, reflects its new focus on bolstering the job market, which has shown clear signs of slowing, The Associated Press reported. Coming just weeks before the presidential election, the Fed’s move also has the potential to scramble the economic landscape just as Americans prepare to vote.
The central bank’s action lowered its key rate to roughly 4.8%, down from a two-decade high of 5.3%, where it had stood for 14 months as it struggled to curb the worst inflation streak in four decades. Inflation has tumbled from a peak of 9.1% in mid-2022 to a three-year low of 2.5% in August, not far above the Fed’s 2% target.
The Fed’s policymakers also signaled that they expect to cut their key rate by an additional half-point in their final two meetings this year, in November and December. And they envision four more rate cuts in 2025 and two in 2026.
In a statement, the Fed came closer than it has before to declaring victory over inflation: It said it “has gained greater confidence that inflation is moving sustainably toward 2%.”
Though the central bank now believes inflation is largely defeated, many Americans remain upset with still-high prices for groceries, gas, rent and other necessities. Former President Donald Trump blames the Biden-Harris administration for sparking an inflationary surge. Vice President Kamala Harris, in turn, has charged that Trump’s promise to slap tariffs on all imports would raise prices for consumers even further.
Rate cuts by the Fed should, over time, lower borrowing costs for mortgages, auto loans and credit cards, boosting Americans’ finances and supporting more spending and growth. Homeowners will be able to refinance mortgages at lower rates, saving on monthly payments, and even shift credit card debt to lower-cost personal loans or home equity lines. Businesses may also borrow and invest more.
Average mortgage rates have already dropped to an 18-month low of 6.2%, according to Freddie Mac, spurring a jump in demand for refinancings.
The Fed’s next policy meeting is Nov. 6-7 — immediately after the presidential election.