Crude prices recorded increases of more than 0.40% with the opening of European markets for today’s session, Thursday, December 5, amid anticipation in the markets for the results of OPEC+ later today and after declines of more than 1.5% yesterday, Wednesday, after a decline in US stocks, as US crude (Nymex) rose by about 0.48% and traded at levels of $ 68.87 per barrel, while Brent crude traded at levels of $ 72.62 per barrel, up by about 0.43%.
The US Energy Information Administration report issued yesterday, Wednesday, showed a decline in stocks by 5.1 million barrels in the past week ending November 29, compared to expectations indicating a decline of about 1.6 million barrels. In detail, gasoline stocks rose by about 2.4 million barrels, and distillate stocks, which include heating fuel and diesel, also rose by about 3.4 million barrels.
In a related context, OPEC and its non-OPEC allies, known as OPEC+, are expected to hold their postponed meeting from last week today, Thursday, to discuss the group’s plans for the future of oil prices and supply cuts, as expectations indicate that OPEC+ will extend the latest round of production cuts for at least three months from January.