Oil prices rose on Thursday on the prospect the US may start buying crude for its petroleum reserve, after prices sank to a seven-week low on hopes for an Israel-Gaza ceasefire, doubts about US interest rate cuts and swelling oil inventories.
Brent crude futures for July gained 58 cents, or 0.7%, to $84.02 a barrel by 0633 GMT on Thursday. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude for June climbed 53 cents, or 0.7%, to $79.53 a barrel.
“The oil market was supported by speculation that if WTI falls below $79, the U.S. will move to build up its strategic reserves,” said Hiroyuki Kikukawa, president of NS Trading, a unit of Nissan Securities.
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.