Oil prices decline as investors continue to fret over tariff impact
Oil prices fell on Monday as concern about the impact of U.S. import tariffs on global economic growth and fuel demand, as well as rising output from OPEC+ producers, cooled investor appetite for riskier assets.
Brent crude fell 25 cents, or 0.4%, to $70.11 a barrel by 0037 GMT after settling up 90 cents on Friday. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude was at $66.76 a barrel, down 28 cents, or 0.4%, after closing 68 cents higher in the previous trading session.
WTI declined for a seventh successive week, the longest losing streak since November 2023, while Brent was down for a third consecutive week after U.S. President Donald Trump imposed then delayed tariffs on its key oil suppliers Canada and Mexico while raising taxes on Chinese goods. China retaliated against the U.S. and Canada with tariffs on agricultural products.
"Crude oil was weighed down last week by U.S. tariff uncertainty, U.S. growth concerns, the potential lifting of U.S. sanctions on Russia, and OPEC+ opting to increase output," IG analyst Tony Sycamore said in a client note.
"Nonetheless, with much of the bad news likely factored in, we expect weekly support around $65/$62 to hold firm before a recovery back to $72.00," he said in reference to the WTI price.
Oil prices clawed back some loss on Friday after Trump said the U.S. would increase sanctions on Russia if the latter fails to reach a ceasefire with Ukraine.
The U.S. is also studying ways to ease sanctions on Russia’s energy sector if Russia agrees to end its war with Ukraine, two people familiar with the matter told Reuters.
Source: Reuters
