WTI fluctuates around $80.00 following a V-shaped recovery as OPEC and allies intervene

Futures for West Texas Intermediate (WTI) on the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX) have had a steep comeback to near the psychological resistance of $80.00 after reaching an 11-month low of $75.27. The black gold is hovering at the $80.00 threshold as Saudi Energy Minister Abdulaziz bin Salman Al-comments Saud's have sparked supply concerns.

The Saudi Energy Minister affirmed that the existing OPEC+ agreement will remain until the end of 2023, confirming rumors that OPEC+ will intervene in the oil market to maintain oil prices from their unbalanced fluctuations. Previously, oil exporting nations agreed to reduce daily oil output by two million barrels in order to increase oil prices. The action is expected to disrupt the current demand-supply mechanism; consequently, oil prices are becoming more efficient.

On the demand side, the escalation of Covid-19 infections in China has prompted concerns over the future oil consumption. The present trend of increasing Covid-19 cases could push the Chinese government to reinstate Covid-19 limitations, as they are the sole means of restricting the virus's spread. The investment banking firm Goldman Sachs has reduced its projection for Brent crude oil prices in the fourth quarter from US$110 per barrel to US$100 per barrel due to the rising infection rates in China.

In the meantime, the demand for US Durable Goods will also reveal the future oil consumption in the US economy. According to forecasts, US Durable Goods Orders will settle at 0.4%, the same as their previous publication. Additional growth in the market for durable goods would eventually indicate oil demand forecasts.