2019-09-04 18:20:00
OIL PRICE: NEAR $60
REUTERS - Oil prices rose nearly 3% on Wednesday, boosted by a wider market pickup on positive news from China's services sector, after three days of losses due to fears about a weakening global economy.
Brent crude LCOc1 was up $1.55, or 2.66%, at $59.81 a barrel by 1401 GMT, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate futures CLc1 gained $1.56, or 2.66%, to $55.50 a barrel.
Global markets rebounded after a private survey showed that activity in China's services sector expanded at the fastest pace in three months in August as new orders rose, prompting the biggest increase in hiring in more than a year.
China is the world's second-largest oil consumer and largest importer.
But U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday warned he would be "tougher" on Beijing in a second term if trade talks dragged on, compounding market fears that trade disputes between the two countries could trigger a U.S. recession.
U.S. data released on Wednesday showed manufacturing activity contracted in August for the first time in three years, while euro zone activity shrank for a seventh month.
Some analysts argued that the overall fundamentals of the oil market remained discouraging.
Data due this week on U.S. oil inventory levels will be delayed by a day to Wednesday and Thursday because of the U.S. Labor Day holiday on Monday.
U.S. crude stockpiles are expected to have declined for a third straight week, a Reuters poll showed on Tuesday.
But supply looks set to stay constrained as Russian officials and OPEC sources indicated the countries would remain committed to their agreement to rein in production despite a shake-up in Saudi Arabia's oil industry.
In a possible sign of tension easing in the energy-rich Gulf, Iranian state television reported on Wednesday that Tehran would free seven crew members of the detained British-flagged tanker Stena Impero.
The vessel was seized two weeks after Britain detained an Iranian tanker off the territory of Gibraltar which was released in August.
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Earlier:
2019, September, 3, 13:25:00
OIL PRICE: NEAR $58
Brent was down 47 cents at $58.19 a barrel, WTI was down 65 cents, or 1.19%, at $54.45 a barrel
2019, September, 2, 13:20:00
OIL PRICE: NEAR $59 AGAIN
Brent crude slipped 22 cents, or 0.4%, to $59.03 a barrel, while WTI was down 2 cents at $55.083 at barrel.
2019, August, 30, 11:05:00
OIL PRICE: NEAR $60 STILL
Brent was down by 23 cents, or 0.4%, at $60.85 a barrel, WTI fell 40 cents, or 0.7%, to $56.31 a barrel.
2019, August, 28, 13:05:00
OIL PRICE: NEAR $60 AGAIN
Brent crude futures LCOc1 climbed 59 cents, or 1.0%, to $60.10 a barrel by 0652 GMT. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures CLc1 gained 70 cents, or 1.3%, to $55.63 a barrel.
2019, August, 26, 15:55:00
OIL PRICE: NEAR $60 YET
Brent was up 38 cents, or 0.64%, at $59.72 a barrel, WTI was up 54 cents, or 1%, at $54.71 a barrel.
2019, August, 23, 11:20:00
OIL PRICE: NEAR $60 ANEW
Brent rose 29 cents, or 0.5%, to $60.21 a barrel, WTI were at $55.53 a barrel, up 18 cents, or 0.3%.
2019, August, 21, 12:35:00
OIL PRICE: ABOVE $60
Brent had gained 26 cents, or 0.43%, to $60.29 a barrel, WTI was up 3 cents, or 0.05%, at $56.16 a barrel.
