Oil prices rebounded last week, buoyed by a sense of optimism surrounding
the United States’ ability to avert a debt default. This positive sentiment
was further supported by a tightening market outlook and a cautionary
message delivered by the Saudi energy minister, which hinted at the
possibility of additional cuts by the OPEC+ alliance to bolster the market.
The upward trajectory of oil was propelled by a combination of cautious
optimism regarding the resolution of the U.S. debt ceiling issue and the
impactful statements made by the Saudi energy minister. Market participants
now anticipate an increased likelihood of further production cuts during
the upcoming OPEC+ meeting.
In May, several members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting
Countries (OPEC) and its allies, including Russia, initiated voluntary
production cuts. These measures, coupled with a rise in U.S. gasoline
demand, are anticipated to contribute to a tightening of supply.
The next OPEC+ meeting is scheduled for the 4 th of June, and
Saudi Arabia’s energy minister, Abdulaziz bin Salman, issued a warning to
short sellers. His comments were interpreted as a signal that OPEC and its
allies may consider implementing additional output reductions in the next
meeting.
In April, OPEC+ announced a reduction of 1.7 million barrels per day,
adding to their previous commitment to decrease output by 2 million barrels
per day. However, OPEC has encountered limited success in recent months
when it comes to boosting crude prices through production cuts. Therefore,
the current rebound in oil prices resulting from optimism of a debt-ceiling
resolution is expected to be short-lived.
Source: Tradingview, Crude Oil Yearly Chart
The sustainability of the rebound remains uncertain due to the growing
possibility that the U.S. Federal Reserve will raise interest rates in
June, contrary to expectations of a pause, which means that price action is
likely to remain within the boundaries of its current trading range in the
coming months.
This shift in expectations is attributed to the Personal Consumption
Expenditures (PCE) index, the Fed’s preferred inflation gauge, surpassing
projections for April. Typically, higher U.S. interest rates present a
headwind for crude oil demand.
The annual PCE Index expanded by 4.4% in April, exceeding the forecasted
3.9% and the previous growth rate of 4.2%. In April alone, it rose by 0.4%,
in line with expectations, compared to a previous expansion of 0.1%. The
core PCE, which excludes volatile food and energy prices, grew by 4.7% on
an annualized basis, surpassing both the projected and previous rates of
4.6%. On a monthly basis, it increased by 0.4%, exceeding the forecasted and
previous rate of 0.3%.
This week investors will closely monitor manufacturing and services data
from the world’s largest oil importer – China, as well as U.S. nonfarm
payroll data on Friday, for valuable insights into economic growth and
demand for oil.
Furthermore, the future growth of oil output in the United States may
decelerate as energy companies continue to reduce the number of operational
rigs for the fourth consecutive week. According to the weekly report from
energy services firm Baker Hughes Co, the count of active oil rigs fell by
five to 570, marking the lowest level since May 2022.
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