Oil prices fell 16 percent in April as Reuters reported that Saudi Arabia hinted being unwilling to support the oil market with more supply cuts.
With crude oil prices largely trading below $75 a barrel in the second-half of 2024, OPEC is likely to further delay the planned phase-out of the oil supply cuts by three months (or the first quarter of calendar year 2025) to support prices.
The oil cartel was earlier set to meet in Vienna on June 1 to decide on supply cuts for second half of 2024, but OPEC pushed it back by a day and the meeting will now be held online.
The benchmark Brent crude settled at $81.68 a barrel, up 2 percent, on November 28, while West Texas Intermediate closed at $76.41
Trading remained subdued during Thursday’s Thanksgiving holiday in the United States.
The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and their allies including Russia shook markets by announcing production cuts of about 1.16 million barrels per day on Sunday.
While India has said that it’s under no pressure to accept the price cap, reports indicate that Indian refiners are wary of buying Russian crude at a higher rate once the proposed G7 price cap kicks in.
OPEC+ Meeting Highlights | Oil prices were little changed after erasing early losses on Thursday after OPEC+ agreed to boost crude output to compensate for a drop in Russian production.
Brent crude prices rose 2.56% to nearly $75 a barrel soon after OPEC's announcement, which indicates that the market had discounted a 1 mbpd raise in output and had expected more.
There has been a lot of backroom drama in the run up to the Vienna meeting, with many members lobbying to be exempt from the production cut. As of now, confusion and uncertainty persists and that is reflecting in crude prices which are down around 2 percent after the OPEC experts meeting on Monday.
Ian Hui, Global Market Strategist, JPMorgan Asset Management talking about the impact of US Presidential pre-elections debate on global market, said if Hillary Clinton comes into power then markets may take it more favourably than if Donald Trump comes into power.
In the past, a statement would be enough to put oil markets on track. That isn't the case now. The OPEC would want to get its mojo back, restore group unity and be taken seriously.
Oil struggles for direction ahead of API data, OPEC meeting
Several Asian economies will be on GDP-watch this week, including India, the Philippines, Taiwan and Singapore.
U.S. oil futures rally to 5-week high ahead of supply data, OPEC meeting
Oil prices inched lower in Asian trade today as weak US consumer data and the eurozone's financial woes dragged on sentiment ahead of a key OPEC meeting later in the day.
It was to be a swap felt around the world -- a plan privately discussed by the world's largest oil exporter and the globe's biggest consumer to take the heat out of USD 120-plus oil prices.
OPEC talks broke down on Wednesday without an agreement to raise output after Saudi Arabia failed to convince the cartel to lift production.
Iran says OPEC will help cover supply shortage