Brent for September settlement rose 38 cents, or 0.6%, to $66.90 a barrel on the ICE Futures Europe Exchange. Prices are up 4.2% this week. The global benchmark crude traded at a $6.32 premium to WTI for the same month.

In 2019, the global oil demand growth forecast remains at 1.14 mb/d, with expectations for global oil demand to reach 99.87 mb/d. In 2020, the initial forecast indicates growth of around 1.14 mb/d y-o-y, as global oil demand is anticipated to surpass the 100 mb/d threshold on an annual basis, to average 101.01 mb/d for the year.

Spot prices for August delivery to Northeast Asia are estimated to be about $4.40 per million British thermal units (mmBtu), up 10 cents from last week, trade sources said.

WTI had climbed 93 cents, or 1.6%, to $58.76, having earlier risen to $58.84. Brent was up 70 cents, or 1.1%, at $64.86, after earlier touching $64.95.

The Energy Information Administration (EIA) forecasts Brent spot prices will average $67/b in the second half of 2019 and remain at that level in 2020. EIA expects West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil prices will average $62/b in the second half of 2019 and $63/b in 2020.

Brent crude rose 15 cents to $64.26 a barrel , U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude was up 9 cents to $57.75.

Brent crude futures were up 34 cents by 0908 GMT at $64.57. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) was up 18 cents at $57.69 a barrel.

OPEC+, as the enlarged group has come to be known, also sealed a long-term cooperation agreement “the Charter of Cooperation,” which aims to bring the 24 oil producing countries together to promote stability to a market that has been characterized by intense volatility in recent months.

“Iran is the biggest guarantor of energy stability and security in the region while the US is the biggest de-stabilizing force in the world’s energy sector.”

U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures CLc1 were down $0.79 at $56.55 per barrel by 0754 GMT. There was no settlement price on Thursday because of the Independence Day holiday in the United States. Front-month Brent crude futures LCOc1 were down $0.23 at $63.07 per barrel. Both benchmarks were set for their biggest weekly falls in five weeks.