Oil hovers near $83 a barrel as U.S. inflation weighs By Reuters

By Laura Sanicola

(Reuters) -Oil costs drifted decrease on Thursday, because the market grappled with concern over rising U.S. inflation, and after OPEC lower its 2021 oil demand forecast because of excessive costs.

futures had been down 46 cents to $82.19 a barrel by 12:24 p.m. EDT (1724 GMT) after falling earlier to $81.66. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) futures had been down 50 cents to $80.84 after hitting a session low of $80.20.

The Group of the Petroleum Exporting International locations (OPEC) mentioned in a month-to-month report it expects oil demand to common 99.49 million barrels per day (bpd) within the fourth quarter of 2021, down 330,000 bpd from final month’s forecast.

“A slowdown within the tempo of restoration within the fourth quarter of 2021 is now assumed because of elevated vitality costs,” OPEC mentioned within the report, additionally citing slower-than-expected demand in China and India for the downward revision.

OPEC sees world consumption surpassing the 100 million bpd mark within the third quarter of 2022, three months later than forecast final month. The producer group has cited the unsure path for demand as a major motive why it is not going to improve provide to fulfill requires extra crude from america.

“Whether or not the acknowledgement of upper costs affecting financial exercise and demand will encourage the group to extend output extra at an upcoming assembly is one other factor, particularly with some struggling to fulfill output targets as it’s,” mentioned Craig Erlam, senior market analyst at OANDA.

U.S. shopper value inflation rose by 6.2%, in keeping with knowledge launched Wednesday, the quickest price in 30 years, pushed largely by steeper vitality costs, pushing the greenback greater and sending Brent and WTI crude down by 2.5% and three.3%, respectively.

U.S. President Joe Biden mentioned he requested the Nationwide Financial Council to work to cut back vitality prices and the Federal Commerce Fee to push again on market manipulation within the vitality sector to reverse inflation.

Brent crude has gained greater than 60% this 12 months and hit a three-year excessive of $86.70 on Oct. 25. Nevertheless, oil costs look like consolidating under $85 a barrel, Norbert Rucker, head of economics at Julius Baer, mentioned in a notice.

“We may very well be taking a look at early indicators of a elementary transition in the direction of an easing market, not least as oil demand ought to solely develop regularly going ahead with the pick-up in U.S. shale and petro-nation provide.”

(Additoinal reporting by Ron Bousso; Extra reporting by Jessica Jaganathan; Enhancing Steve Orlofsky and Bernadette Baum)