Oil prices were steady on Friday, sticking to ranges seen over the past three weeks, as investors looked for signs of changing supply and demand fundamentals.
A cut in Saudi Arabia’s oil supply and lower U.S. oil stocks helped offset price pressures from fuel demand, which is slowing due to stalled vaccine rollouts and contagious new coronavirus strains.
“We’re waiting for the next shoe to drop in the oil market. We really don’t have much to move us around,” said Michael McCarthy, chief strategist at CMC Markets.
Brent crude futures for March rose 4 cents, or 0.1%, to $55.57 a barrel at 0520 GMT, after falling 0.5% in the previous session.
The Brent March contract expires on Friday. The more active April contract rose 13 cents, or 0.2%, to $55.23.
U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures slipped 7 cents to $52.27 a barrel, after falling 1.0% on Thursday.
“Even the currency effects that have been an occasional driver of the market have dried up with the U.S. dollar also very stable at current levels,” said McCarthy.
via Reuters
16th April 2026
The U.S. nearly turned into a net crude exporter last week for the first time since World War Two as shipments surged close to a record high to meet demand from Asian and European buyer...
16th April 2026
Russia's defence ministry warned on Wednesday that European plans to step up drone supplies to Ukraine are dragging those countries deeper into a war with Russia.
The ministry said ...
16th April 2026
Morning Briefing
Abela Dismisses Election Uncertainty Claims
Prime Minister Robert Abela has dismissed claims that uncertainty over the timing of the next general election is affec...
15th April 2026
Updated 1150am
Malta’s Imports from China Hit Record High as Trade Ties Deepen: Malta has significantly increased its reliance on China, doubling imports over the past decade to a rec...
14th April 2026
The European Parliament is moving closer to finalising its position on the EU’s next long-term budget, setting the stage for a key institutional milestone in shaping the 2028–2034 Multia...
14th April 2026
EU lawmakers have approved new rules aimed at strengthening how failing banks are managed, extending protections to a wider range of institutions and depositors across the bloc.
The p...
16th April 2026
The U.S. nearly turned into a net crude exporter last week for the first time since World War Two as shipments surged close to a record high to meet demand from Asian and European buyer...
15th April 2026
In line with its mission to drive a truly digital Malta, GO plc is making giga-speed internet the entry point for all business customers, with six months completely free for new Business...
14th April 2026
“A company’s workplace culture praised by management, needs to be taken with caution. But when the recognition comes directly from employees, that carries greater weight,” says JONATHAN ...
14th April 2026
EU lawmakers have approved new rules aimed at strengthening how failing banks are managed, extending protections to a wider range of institutions and depositors across the bloc.
The p...
15th April 2026
In line with its mission to drive a truly digital Malta, GO plc is making giga-speed internet the entry point for all business customers, with six months completely free for new Business...
14th April 2026
“A company’s workplace culture praised by management, needs to be taken with caution. But when the recognition comes directly from employees, that carries greater weight,” says JONATHAN ...
14th April 2026
Rights groups, including Amnesty International, say Iran carries out more executions per capita than any other country, and more in total than any nation except China, where reliable fig...
14th April 2026
The United States has begun a naval blockade targeting Iranian ports, marking a sharp escalation in tensions following failed weekend peace talks in Pakistan. The move, ordered by Presid...
25th February 2026
Thousands of Cuban security personnel have begun leaving Caracas after nearly two decades in Venezuela, as Washington ramps up efforts to dismantle the long standing alliance between the...
9th February 2026
María Corina Machado is a prominent figure in Venezuela’s opposition. She has reported that one of her closest associates, Juan Pablo Guanipa, was abducted. This occurred mere hours afte...
16th April 2026
Russia's defence ministry warned on Wednesday that European plans to step up drone supplies to Ukraine are dragging those countries deeper into a war with Russia.
The ministry said ...
11th April 2026
Ukraine and Russia are moving towards a potential deal to end the war, Bloomberg News reported, citing the top aide to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.
Kyrylo Budanov, a form...