Oil prices were on track for their steepest weekly decline since March despite rising in early trade on Friday, on growing worries that higher-for-longer interest rates could stoke a global economic slowdown and curb fuel demand. Both benchmarks had surged to 2023 highs last week, but Brent has dropped 11.8% and WTI by about 8.8% this week. On Friday, Brent futures were up 36 cents, or 0.4%, at $84.43 at 0147 GMT, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures were up 42 cents, or 0.5%, at $82.73, recovering slightly from a 2% decline on Thursday.
"We estimate that the OMCs will start incurring EBITDA losses in the second half of fiscal 2024 if crude oil prices increase to around $100/bbl. Nonetheless, we believe high oil prices are unlikely to be sustained for long as global growth weakens," Moody s analyst Sweta Patodia said.
On Monday, the U.S. dollar rose to a 10-month high against a basket of major peers after the U.S. government avoided a partial shutdown and economic data fuelled expectations the Federal Reserve will keep rates higher for longer, which could slow economic growth.
Russia temporarily banned exports of gasoline and diesel to all countries outside a circle of four ex-Soviet states with immediate effect to stabilise the domestic fuel market, the government said on Thursday, without a specified end date.