Oil prices jumped more than 3% on Tuesday afternoon in the runup to the much-watched API crude oil inventory data report as doubts continue to be raised about OPEC’s ability to respond to an increase in demand.
At 11:54 a.m. EST, WTI was trading up $3.04 (+3.89%) per barrel at $81.27. The Brent crude oil benchmark was trading up $2.76 (+3.41%) per barrel at $83.63 for the highest level this year.
On Monday, the narrative was precisely the opposite, as Omicron fears cast doubt over the short-term oil demand effects, particularly with China, which has a habit of aggressively locking down infected regions to slow the spread of the virus. But by Tuesday, the market had swung the other way on reports that OPEC+’s spare capacity will dwindle into the second half of the year as it gradually increases output targets between now and then at the rate of an additional 400,000 bpd each month.
Serinus Energy plc (LON:SENX) is an international oil company with operations in Romania and Tunisia. The focus of the Company is to enhance shareholder value by growing oil and gas production through the efficient allocation of capital.