Oil rebounds as U.S. stockpiles drop, interest rate cut outlook brightens
Oil prices rebounded due to falling U.S. crude stockpiles and rate cut hopes. WTI and Brent futures rose. Investors anticipate economic growth from rate cuts. Powell's comments and limited Texas energy issues post-Hurricane Beryl supported prices. API and EIA foresee higher demand. Crude stocks fell by 1.923 million barrels on July 5. Gasoline inventories also decreased as ports reopened.
rebounded on Wednesday following three days of declines after an industry report showed U.S. crude and fuel stockpiles fell last week, indicating steady demand, and the outlook for improved.Brent futures rose 21 cents to $84.87 a barrel by 0055 GMT, after falling 1.3% in the previous session.
U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude rose 26 cents to $81.67 a barrel, after falling 1.1% in the previous session.
WTI has dropped 3% in the previous three sessions amid concerns about flagging and as signs appeared that the Texas came off relatively unscathed from after it hit the region on Monday. Brent is down 3.2% over the same period.
U.S. crude oil and gasoline inventories fell last week, according to market sources citing American Petroleum Institute figures on Tuesday, indicating summer is steady and driving the rebound after days of declines.
The API figures showed were down by 1.923 million barrels in the week ended July 5, the sources said. Gasoline inventories fell by 2.954 million barrels. However, distillate supply rose by 2.342 million barrels.
Prices were also supported by comments from U.S. Chair Jerome Powell that suggested the case for interest rate cuts is becoming stronger. Lower interest rates should spur more economic growth and therefore more .
Following Powell's comments investors continued to put a nearly 70% probability on a Fed rate cut in September.
"Powell's remarks to the Senate affirmed the improvement in data through the June quarter, while maintaining that more good data would boost confidence in the inflation outlook," ANZ analysts said in a note on Wednesday.
The outlook for higher oil prices was also supported by a U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) report on Tuesday showing global oil demand will outpace supply next year, reversing a prior forecast for a surplus.
In Texas, oil and gas companies restarted some operations on Tuesday after Hurricane Beryl lashed the state, while some facilities sustained damage and power had not been fully restored.
Beryl's impact on oil and gas production was expected to be limited, and on Tuesday, some ports reopened and most producers and facilities were ramping up output.
Investors are expecting official U.S. oil stocks data on Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. EDT (1430 GMT) from the EIA.
