Crude has climbed to its highest since Nov. 25 today. Support is driven by further expectations of an OPEC+ rollover to cuts, coupled with Middle East ceasefire instability.
- Brent FEB 25 up 2.7% at 73.77$/bbl
- WTI JAN 25 up 2.9% at 70.08$/bbl
- OPEC+ is making progress on a three-month delay to its oil production hike according to Bloomberg sources.
- Four Reuters sources said that OPEC+ is likely to extend its latest round of output cuts until the end of Q1.
- Netanyahu comments on ceasefire: "We are enforcing this ceasefire with an iron fist, acting against any violation - minor or serious."
- US crude oil inventories change forecast: -1.38m bbl (Bbg), -1.2m bbl (WSJ), -1m bbl (Macquarie), +0.7m bbl (Reuters).
- Canadian heavy WCS crude prices could fall below $40/bbl in 2026 if President-elect Trump implements the promised 25% tariffs, Goldman Sachs said.
- Venezuela’s oil exports jumped in November on higher sales to its mainstay Asia customers, approaching 1m b/d, Reuters said citing LSEG data.
- China’s crude imports rebounded to a 13-month high in November. Vortexa onshore crude storage shows that the increase in volumes have supported inventory builds.
- Iran’s energy shortage has neared a point of crisis due to a continuous decline in oil output amid US sanctions, President Masoud Pezeshkian said, cited by Platts.
- Russian western port oil loadings are seen down to 1.72m b/d over December 1-10, Reuters said.
- Spot Russian ESPO premiums for China are at their highest since the Ukraine war began, Reuters said.
- Repairs at the Tengiz field have not been completed by the previously planned date and the works are continuing, the Kazakh Ministry of Energy said, cited by Interfax.