Oil price drops as global economic concerns grip market

Oil price fell about 2 percent on Thursday as the market was weighed down by concerns that global demand growth would lag in the coming year. A rebound from late December lows seemed to stall amid worries that a trade war between the U.S. and China would continue, weighing on demand. The market also contended with the possibility that oil producers would not adhere strictly to cuts agreed to last year.

Brent crude futures fell $1.06 a barrel, or 1.7 percent, to settle at $61.63. U.S. crude futures fell $1.37 a barrel, or 2.5 percent, to settle at $52.64.

“The correction is stalled, mainly on concerns about demand growth,” said Gene McGillian, director of Market Research at Tradition Energy in Stamford, Connecticut. “There seems to be uncertainty about what is going to happen with the trade talks, with global economic growth and demand in the coming year,” he said.

In particular, he said, the market is worried about whether demand is sufficient to absorb growing crude production from the U.S.

“Supply fundamentals have increasingly been turning supportive in recent weeks, but against this the market still worries about the yet-to-be-realised – if at all – impact on demand from weaker macroeconomic fundamentals,” said Ole Hansen, head of commodity strategy at Saxo Bank.

Though the United States published robust jobs data last week, global markets remain nervous after China reported the lowest annual economic growth in nearly 30 years in January. That focuses yet more attention on the outcome of U.S.-China talks to end the trade war between the world’s top two economies.

The oil price also came under pressure as weekly data published by the U.S. Energy Information Administration on Wednesday showed an unwelcome increase in stocks of crude oil.

A decline in OPEC production and a squeeze on supply from Iran and Venezuela because of U.S. sanctions have led many analysts to forecast that the market will be balanced in 2019.