路透社

伦敦：周四油价小幅上涨，收复了前三天的部分跌幅，尽管如果通胀依然高企，美联储将进一步收紧利率，此举可能会损害石油需求。

截至格林威治标准时间 1121 日，布伦特原油期货上涨 51 美分，涨幅为 0.6%，至每桶 82.41 美元。美国西德克萨斯中质原油 (WTI) 期货也上涨 51 美分，即 0.7%，至 78.08 美元。周三，这两个基准指数均下跌超过 1%，已连续第三天下跌。

美联储周三公布的最新政策会议纪要显示，美联储讨论了面对持续顽固的通胀情况加息的可能性。

美联储会议纪要称，“与会者提到，如果通胀风险成为现实，他们愿意进一步收紧政策，而这种行动是适当的。”

利率上升推高了借贷成本，压缩了可能促进世界最大石油消费国经济增长和石油需求的资金。

美国能源情报署(Energy Information Administration)的数据显示，上周美国原油库存增加了180万桶，而预计减少了250万桶，这也给市场带来了压力。

全球范围内，实物原油市场受到炼油厂需求疲软和供应充足的压力。

花旗分析师在周四的一份报告中表示，“近期市场疲软是由于数据疲弱造成的，包括石油库存增加、需求不温不火、炼油厂利润疲软以及减产风险加大”。

俄罗斯能源部周三晚间表示，俄罗斯表示，由于“技术原因”，4月份超出了OPEC+的产量配额，并将很快向石油输出国组织(OPEC)秘书处提交弥补这一错误的计划。

OPEC+由OPEC和以俄罗斯为首的盟友组成，将于6月1日举行会议，决定减产水平。

石油经纪商 PVM 的约翰·埃文斯 (John Evans) 表示，“人们认为，此次会议很难进一步收紧市场，而且越来越多的人认为，卡特尔最好的办法就是延续当前的自愿减产”。 。

“这可能会在秋季显现出结果，但就目前而言，这对缓解市场缺乏信心无济于事。”

Reuters

LONDON :Oil prices crept up on Thursday, clawing back some of the previous three days’ losses despite the U.S. Federal Reserve entertaining further tightening of interest rates if inflation remains sticky, a move that could hurt oil demand.

Brent crude futures were up 51 cents, or 0.6 per cent, at $82.41 a barrel by 1121 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude (WTI) futures were also up 51 cents, or 0.7 per cent, at $78.08. Both benchmarks fell more than 1 per cent on Wednesday for their third straight day of losses.

Minutes released on Wednesday from the Federal Reserve’s most recent policy meeting showed the U.S. central bank discussed the potential to raise interest rates in the face of continued stubborn inflation.

“Various participants mentioned a willingness to tighten policy further should risks to inflation materialize in a way that such an action became appropriate,” the Fed minutes said.

Higher interest rates boost borrowing costs, crunching funds that could boost economic growth and oil demand in the world’s largest oil consuming nation.

Also weighing on the market, U.S. crude stocks rose by 1.8 million barrels last week, according to the Energy Information Administration, compared with an estimated draw of 2.5 million barrels.

Globally, physical crude markets have been pressured by soft refinery demand and ample supply.

“Recent market softness has come on the back of weaker data, including rising oil inventories, tepid demand and refinery margin weakness and the increasing risk of run cuts,” Citi analysts said in a note on Thursday.

Russia said it exceeded its OPEC+ production quota in April for “technical reasons” and will soon present to the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) Secretariat its plan to compensate for the error, the Russian Energy Ministry said late on Wednesday.

OPEC+, which groups together OPEC and allies led by Russia, will meet on June 1 to decide on production cut levels.

“June’s meeting is seen as difficult in being able to tighten the market further and there is a growing consensus that the best the cartel will come up with is a rollover of current voluntary cuts,” said John Evans of oil broker PVM.

“This may show results in the autumn, but for now it will do little to assuage a market lacking in confidence.”