Energy

This could be a pivotal week for the crude oil. With key US economic data on the horizon and the OPEC+ meeting later this week to discuss oil production targets, market participants are bracing for significant developments.

Given the rise in non-OPEC supply growth, the OPEC+ will be under pressure to support prices. But the group has said that it will gradually restore withheld supplies after multiple delays. What’s more, we could see a sharp rise in US drilling activity under Trump’s plans. As a result, we could potentially see a boost in both OPEC and non-OPEC production by 2025 and beyond.

Highlighting demand concerns, the OPEC has today cut its oil demand growth forecast again. This is the fourth month in a row that it has done so. Weak oil demand in China, the world’s largest oil consumer, remains the primary driver of falling prices.

The immediate response in the commodities space to the Republican’s clean sweep victory has been a bearish one - especially for industrial metals. Copper and silver fell over 4% each, tracking weaker iron ore prices, while gold was off by around 3%. Crude prices fell too but came sharply off their earlier lows.

Crude Oil Week Ahead: Crude oil wrapped up the third week of October with a sharp 9% loss, driven by weaker Chinese economic data and reduced concerns about oil supply disruptions. Looking ahead, key events between Chinese policies, BRICS, and PMIs are expected to influence crude oil’s trajectory in the coming week.

Crude Oil Week Ahead: the crude oil market is expected to remain volatile this week with the Chinese economic stimulus, shifts in US monetary policy expectations, and supply concerns between hurricanes and geopolitical tensions. This will coincide with the release of OPEC and IEA Oil monthly reports and 2024-2025 forecasts.

Crude Oil Outlook: The recent rebound in crude oil prices has been driven by supply disruption fears and hopes of Chinese stimulus, but the sustainability of October’s highs remains uncertain.

Crude oil analysis: It is all about Middle East conflict now, when it comes to oil prices. The extent of Israel's potential response to Iran will influence how much further geopolitical risk markets are likely to factor in.

EIA rude stockpiles data helped to push WTI oil a little off its earlier lows, but it struggled. We maintain a slightly bearish crude oil outlook, especially if WTI breaks back below the $70 on a daily closing basis. Should that happen, it could potentially pave the way for a deeper drop amid follow-up technical selling and given existing concerns about rising supply and lack of a sharper demand growth.

The overall crude oil forecast remains clouded by weak demand, particularly from China, and rising supply pressures. As speculators turn increasingly bearish and technical signals point to further downside, oil prices could continue to face headwinds in the near term.

Hopes that the US driving season would propel prices to new 2024 highs this summer failed to materialise as demand remained weak in key economic regions like China. At the same time, the OPEC+ appeared content with plans to increase output from the fourth quarter.