Crude Steadies, But Remains Under Pressure
Crude oil is showing little movement on Wednesday. In the European session, WTI is trading at $53.14, up $0.20, or 0.38%. Brent crude is trading at $58.91, down $0.06, or 0.10%.
Is a U.S-China Trade Deal at Hand?
Investors are keeping a close eye on trade talks between the U.S. and China. There has been some optimism that a limited deal (“Phase 1”) can be hammered out, which would be the first of up to three “mini agreements”. This would enable to sides to remove tariffs, while at the same time, postpone the most intractable issues for another time. If the sides can reach any kind of a deal, growth will improve and the demand for crude will increase. However, investor confidence slipped earlier in the week, as the Chinese media reported that China would demand further talks before agreeing to a Phase 1 agreement. The U.S. has sounded optimistic about reaching a deal, and has canceled tariffs which were set to take effect this week. A new 15% on $160 billion in Chinese goods is scheduled to take effect on December 15, but would likely be rescinded if the sides can reach an agreement before then. Traders should be prepared for further volatility from crude, depending on the progress of the current round of trade talks.
Crude Inventories – Another Surplus?
Another important factor for crude movement is the Energy Information Administration (EIA) crude inventory report. The weekly report has been posted four successive surpluses, pointing to an oversupply of U.S. crude. Another large surplus is expected on Thursday, with a forecast of 3.0 million barrels. This streak of surpluses is putting upward pressure on crude prices, and another surplus could push crude higher on Thursday.
This article was originally posted on FX Empire
