Oil market rallies on Saudi output cut

AFP | London

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com    

Oil rallied Monday after key producer Saudi Arabia slashed output by a million barrels in a bid to prop up prices, while fellow OPEC+ members agreed to continue current cuts to 2024.

International benchmark Brent oil and US counterpart WTI crude won more than two percent in earlier morning deals.

Asian and European stocks mainly climbed with energy majors boosted by higher crude futures, which boosts profit and revenues.

Sentiment also remains buoyant after the United States clinched a breakthrough deal late last week to lift its debt ceiling and avert a disastrous default.

Equities won extra support as Friday's US jobs report lifted hopes the US Federal Reserve will refrain from hiking interest rates next week.

- OPEC+ 'creates splash' -

"The outcome of the much-anticipated OPEC+ meeting has created a splash in the oil market, if not a wave," said KCM Trade analyst Tim Waterer.

"Saudi Arabia has backed up their words with actions by going it alone and extending their supply cuts."

The 23-nation OPEC+ alliance, which includes Russia, agreed Sunday to continue current output cuts until the end of next year.

But influential player Saudi Arabia also announced its own new cutback taking July production to nine million barrels per day.

Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman told reporters that he "will do whatever is necessary to bring stability to this market".

OPEC+ nations are grappling with falling prices on concerns oil demand will weaken as major economies struggle to cool elevated inflation.

Oil has plummeted about 10 percent since April, when several OPEC+ members agreed to cut production voluntarily by more than one million bpd in an attempt to stem losses.

"Saudi will continue doing the heavy lifting of production cuts, hoping that its efforts will reverse the falling price trend," noted Swissquote Bank analyst Ipek Ozkardeskaya.

- 'Goldilocks' jobs report -

Wall Street surged Friday after data showed the US economy added 339,000 jobs in May, far more than expected, indicating the labour market remained strong.

The report also revealed wage gains moderated slightly.

Analysts said the "Goldilocks" reading -- neither too good nor too bad -- suggested the world's biggest economy was not facing an immediate risk of a recession and could still give the Fed room to hold policy steady.

The Fed has lifted rates 10 times since early last year to try and tame rampant inflation fuelled largely by energy costs.

In Asia, Hong Kong stocks extended Friday's surge, while Tokyo piled on more than two percent to hit a three-decade peak.

Europe stocks ran out of steam as the morning progressed, although London was lifted by oil giants BP and Shell.

- Key figures around 1100 GMT -

Brent North Sea crude: UP 1.8 percent at $77.51 per barrel

West Texas Intermediate: UP 1.7 percent at $72.99 per barrel

London - FTSE 100: UP 0.6 percent at 7,649.12 points

Frankfurt - DAX: UP 0.1 percent at 16,071.61

Paris - CAC 40: DOWN 0.1 percent at 7,265.14

EURO STOXX 50: FLAT at 4,324.69

Tokyo - Nikkei 225: UP 2.2 percent at 32,217.43 (close)

Hong Kong - Hang Seng Index: UP 0.8 percent at 19,108.50 (close)

Shanghai - Composite: UP 0.1 percent at 3,232.44 (close)

New York - Dow: UP 2.1 percent at 33,762.76 (close)

Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.0693 from $1.0708 on Friday

Dollar/yen: UP at 140.28 yen from 139.92 yen

Pound/dollar: DOWN at $1.2391 from $1.2453

Euro/pound: UP at 86.33 pence from 85.98 pence