Oil prices steady as Russia eases fuel export ban
By Paul Carsten
LONDON (Reuters) — Oil prices held steady on Monday after Russia relaxed its fuel ban, taking the edge off earlier gains on a tighter supply outlook and wariness over interest rates that could curb demand.
Brent crude futures were up 17 cents, or 0.18%, at $93.44 a barrel by 1133 GMT after settling 3 cents lower on Friday.
U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude was up 7 cents, or 0.08%, at $90.10.
Russia approved some changes to its fuel export ban, lifting the restrictions for fuel used as bunkering for some vessels and diesel with high sulphur content, a government document showed on Monday.
The ban on all types of gasoline and high-quality diesel, announced last Thursday, remains in place.
«The market continues to digest Russia's temporary ban on diesel and gasoline exports into an already tight market, offset with the Fed's hawkish message that rates will stay higher for longer,» said IG Markets analyst Tony Sycamore.
Crude prices fell last week after a hawkish Federal Reserve rattled global financial markets and raised concerns over oil demand. That snapped a three-week rally of more than 10% after Saudi Arabia and Russia constrained supply by extending production cuts to the end of the year.
Last week, Moscow issued a temporary ban on gasoline and diesel exports to most countries to stabilise the domestic market, fanning concerns of low products supply as the Northern Hemisphere heads into winter.
In the United States, the number of operating oil rigs fell by eight to 507 last week — the lowest count since February 2022 — despite higher prices, a weekly report from Baker Hughes showed on Friday.
Compounding supply constraints, U.S. oil refiners are expected to have about 1.7 million barrels per day
Read more on investing.com
