Oil Prices Ease on Rising US Inventories, Libyan Output

FILE - Pump jacks extract oil from beneath the ground in North Dakota, May 19, 2021. (AP Photo/Matthew Brown)
FILE - Pump jacks extract oil from beneath the ground in North Dakota, May 19, 2021. (AP Photo/Matthew Brown)
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Oil Prices Ease on Rising US Inventories, Libyan Output

FILE - Pump jacks extract oil from beneath the ground in North Dakota, May 19, 2021. (AP Photo/Matthew Brown)
FILE - Pump jacks extract oil from beneath the ground in North Dakota, May 19, 2021. (AP Photo/Matthew Brown)

Oil prices slid on Wednesday, giving up some of last session's gains, as an increase in US crude stockpiles and easing worries over Libyan supplies weighed on prices, although the decline was limited by potential US tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports.

Brent crude futures fell 18 cents, or 0.2%, to $77.31 a barrel by 0548 GMT, while US crude futures declined 15 cents, or 0.2%, at $73.62 a barrel, Reuters reported.

"While markets are tackling demand side pressures, easing backdrop on supply side is equally weighing over oil prices," said Priyanka Sachdeva, senior market analyst at Phillip Nova in Singapore.

"Markets are under pressure with Trump's plans to boost US oil production and await further clarity on Trump's energy policies."

US President Donald Trump began his term last week issuing several executive orders to ease the permitting of energy infrastructure and boost already record-high oil and gas output.

US crude oil and gasoline stocks rose last week, while distillate inventories fell, market sources said on Tuesday, citing American Petroleum Institute figures.

The Energy Information Administration (EIA), the statistical arm of the US Department of Energy, is due to release its weekly data at 1530 GMT on Wednesday.

The resolution of supply concerns in Libya has also added to selling pressure, said Chiyoki Chen, chief analyst at Sunward Trading in Tokyo.

Those fears eased after the state-run National Oil Corp said on Tuesday export activity was running normally after it held talks with protesters demanding a halt of loadings at one its main oil ports.

The White House said on Tuesday that President Trump still plans to issue 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico on Saturday.

It remains unclear how any new tariffs could affect oil imports to the US from the countries. Canada supplied 3.9 million barrels per day of oil to the US in 2023, roughly half of overall imports for the year, while Mexico supplied 733,000 bpd, according to data from the EIA.

Oil benchmarks fell to multi-week lows early this week as news of surging interest in Chinese startup DeepSeek's low-cost artificial intelligence (AI) model prompted concerns over energy demand to power data centers, rattling the overall energy sector, while weak economic data from China further soured the demand outlook.

Technology stocks regained ground on Tuesday, a day after the DeepSeek rattled markets.



Saudi Arabia Assumes WTO General Council Presidency for 2025–2026

The General Council of the World Trade Organization (WTO) unanimously appointed Permanent Representative of Saudi Arabia to the WTO Saqer bin Abdullah Al-Moqbel as its president for the 2025–2026 term. (SPA)
The General Council of the World Trade Organization (WTO) unanimously appointed Permanent Representative of Saudi Arabia to the WTO Saqer bin Abdullah Al-Moqbel as its president for the 2025–2026 term. (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia Assumes WTO General Council Presidency for 2025–2026

The General Council of the World Trade Organization (WTO) unanimously appointed Permanent Representative of Saudi Arabia to the WTO Saqer bin Abdullah Al-Moqbel as its president for the 2025–2026 term. (SPA)
The General Council of the World Trade Organization (WTO) unanimously appointed Permanent Representative of Saudi Arabia to the WTO Saqer bin Abdullah Al-Moqbel as its president for the 2025–2026 term. (SPA)

The General Council of the World Trade Organization (WTO) has unanimously appointed Permanent Representative of Saudi Arabia to the WTO Saqer bin Abdullah Al-Moqbel as its president for the 2025–2026 term. In a historic milestone, Al-Moqbel becomes the first Arab and Middle Eastern delegate to assume this position, reported the Saudi Press Agency on Wednesday.

The WTO General Council, which convenes throughout the year, oversees the organization’s operations between ministerial conferences, held biennially. As the highest decision-making body at the level of heads of missions, the council plays a crucial role in shaping global trade policies.

During Saudi Arabia's presidency, the General Council is set to address several key issues, including preparations for the 14th Ministerial Conference, scheduled to be held in Cameroon in March 2026.

The agenda will also focus on essential WTO reforms, particularly the dispute settlement mechanism; advancing negotiations on the second phase of the Fisheries Subsidy Agreement; and addressing agriculture, food security, and development concerns.

Other priorities include integrating multilateral agreements, such as the Investment Facilitation for Development Agreement and the E-Commerce Agreement, into the WTO framework.

Commenting on the appointment, Al-Moqbel emphasized that Saudi Arabia’s leadership in the WTO General Council reflects its growing role in the international economic landscape, leveraging its global economic influence to strengthen multilateral trade cooperation.