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Oil Prices Regain Some Ground after 7% Loss Last Week

Oil pump jacks work at sunset near Midland, Texas, U.S., August 21, 2019. REUTERS/Jessica Lutz/File Photo
Oil pump jacks work at sunset near Midland, Texas, U.S., August 21, 2019. REUTERS/Jessica Lutz/File Photo
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Oil Prices Regain Some Ground after 7% Loss Last Week

Oil pump jacks work at sunset near Midland, Texas, U.S., August 21, 2019. REUTERS/Jessica Lutz/File Photo
Oil pump jacks work at sunset near Midland, Texas, U.S., August 21, 2019. REUTERS/Jessica Lutz/File Photo

Oil prices rose on Monday, recouping some of last week's more than 7% decline on worries about demand in China, the world's top oil importer, and easing concerns about potential supply disruptions in the Middle East.

Brent crude futures were up $1.16, or 1.6%, to $74.22 a barrel at 1036 GMT. US West Texas Intermediate crude futures were up $1.32, or 1.9%, to $70.54 a barrel.

Brent settled down more than 7% last week, while WTI lost around 8%. Those were the contracts' biggest weekly declines since Sept. 2, due to slowing economic growth in China and falling risk premiums in the Middle East, Reuters reported.

China on Monday cut benchmark lending rates as anticipated, part of a broader package of stimulus measures to revive the economy.

Data on Friday showed that China's economy grew at the slowest pace since early 2023 in the third quarter, fuelling growing concerns about oil demand.

Saudi Aramco's CEO told an energy conference in Singapore on Monday that he was still "fairly bullish" on China's oil demand in light of stepped up policy support aimed at boosting growth, and because of rising demand for jet fuel and liquid-to-chemicals.

"Geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and the positive oil demand comments from the CEO of Aramco are likely supporting oil prices," UBS analyst Giovanni Staunovo said.

The US Energy Information Administration said on Friday weekly oilfield production rose by 100,000 barrels per day (bpd) to a record 13.5 million bpd during the week ended Oct. 11.

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BRICS Leaders Call for Urgent Action on Land Degradation Ahead of UNCCD COP16 in Riyadh

BRICS leaders call for increased financial resources and stronger partnerships to address land degradation, desertification, and drought. (SPA)
BRICS leaders call for increased financial resources and stronger partnerships to address land degradation, desertification, and drought. (SPA)
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BRICS Leaders Call for Urgent Action on Land Degradation Ahead of UNCCD COP16 in Riyadh

BRICS leaders call for increased financial resources and stronger partnerships to address land degradation, desertification, and drought. (SPA)
BRICS leaders call for increased financial resources and stronger partnerships to address land degradation, desertification, and drought. (SPA)

BRICS leaders called for increased financial resources and stronger partnerships to address land degradation, desertification, and drought ahead of a major UN environment conference in Saudi Arabia in December.

In a joint statement, the leaders of Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates emphasized that these environmental challenges "are posing serious threats to the well-being and livelihoods of people and the environment."

While acknowledging ongoing efforts in sustainable land management, they stressed the need for "integrated policies" to tackle these interconnected issues.

The statement comes as Saudi Arabia prepares to host the 16th session of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD COP16) in Riyadh from December 2 to 13, amid growing global concern over land degradation that already affects 40% of the planet and impacts 3.2 billion people, according to UNCCD data.

"Saudi Arabia welcomes the BRICS leaders' statement on the critical issue of land degradation as it reflects the increasing urgency to slow and ultimately reverse the trend of degrading land worldwide," said Dr. Osama Faqeeha, deputy minister for environment at Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture and advisor to the COP16 Presidency.

He added: "At COP16 in Riyadh, we will work to forge new partnerships that can accelerate land restoration and drought resilience efforts, particularly in vulnerable regions. Land degradation, drought, and desertification impact almost every corner of the planet, exacerbating forced migration and worsening global food and water insecurity. It is imperative that the international community addresses the root causes of these issues at the UNCCD COP16 in Riyadh."

The conference is expected to be the largest UNCCD COP to date and will feature the first-ever Green Zone, creating a dedicated platform for collaboration and innovation, aiming to increase the role of the private sector in land restoration.

It comes as the UNCCD targets the restoration of 1.5 billion hectares of degraded land by 2030. According to the UNCCD, every dollar invested in land restoration can yield up to $30 in economic returns.