geopolitics

Futures rallied last week on concerns that rising consumption is racing ahead of supply.   Oil prices rose early on Thursday, with Brent Crude rallying to $86.10—the highest price since October 2018.

West Texas Intermediate crude closed above $80 a barrel on Monday for the first time since late 2014 as a growing power crisis from Europe to Asia boosts demand for oil ahead of winter.

Prices rose for the fifth straight week with the global energy crunch set to boost demand for crude as stockpiles decline from the US to China.

Brent futures dipped on Friday but held above $75 a barrel, remaining on track for weekly gains of more than 3% thanks to the slow recovery in output after two hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico.

Futures rose towards $73 a barrel on Friday as refineries in Louisiana restarted and returning offshore production could not keep pace.

Damages to oil production facilities in the US Gulf of Mexico kept output largely halted a week after Hurricane Ida made landfall, according to offshore regulator the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement.

Prices advanced as hurricane Ida shut off some 59% of Gulf of Mexico crude production. At the same time, the Federal Reserve reinforced its support to begin tapering stimulus by the end of the year.

Oil production is generally declining in the list of nations below; nearly all appear to be in permanent decline, though a few—especially Suriname—will increase again. 

Prices fell last week for the first time since May after days of volatile trading in the wake of OPEC+’s stalemate over a production increase.

Futures posted their sixth straight weekly gain, the longest winning streak since December, as the standoff between OPEC+ ministers over output dragged on.

Prices posted their fifth straight weekly gain, the longest winning streak since December, as demand recovers and supplies continue to tighten in the US and China.