
Oil steady on mixed stockpile data and lingering demand concern
BNN Bloomberg
Oil steadied as investors weighed mixed U.S. data on crude and petroleum stockpiles amid persistent concerns over the outlook for demand.
West Texas Intermediate futures traded above US$72 a barrel after gaining 1.1 per cent Wednesday. Crude inventories at the Cushing storage hub rose for a seventh week, while gasoline stockpiles also gained, according to government figures. However, refinery utilization was at the highest level since 2019, providing some bullish sentiment for summer demand.
Oil is still down 10 per cent this year as China's sluggish economic recovery, interest rate hikes from the Federal Reserve and robust Russian crude flows weigh on prices. Investors will also be watching data on jobless claims later Thursday for clues on the path forward for U.S. monetary policy.

Oil prices rise and stocks fall as war with Iran still advances despite Trump’s talk of negotiations
U.S. markets ticked slightly lower and oil prices rose early Tuesday as the war in the Middle East continued a day after U.S. President Donald Trump said the United States had made progress in talks with the Islamic Republic to end the conflict.

U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday said the U.S. was talking with a “respected” Iranian leader and claimed the Islamic Republic was eager for a deal to end the war. He also extended a deadline for Iran to reopen the crucial Strait of Hormuz or face attacks on its power plants, saying it has an additional five days.











