Oil prices rise slightly after hitting four-week low

PanARMENIAN.Net - Oil prices staged a mild recovery Wednesday, July 31, a day after hitting a four-week low, but traders say any bigger gains would likely be shortlived, The Associated Press reported.

Benchmark oil for August delivery was up 6 cents to $103.14 per barrel at midday Bangkok time in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract fell $1.47 Tuesday to finish at $103.08 per barrel, the lowest closing price since July 3.

Traders are waiting to see if the Energy Department will report another draw in oil supplies after a surprisingly large drop of 30 million barrels over the past month. However, oil supplies remain high compared with the five-year average, and that will constrain the price of crude.

“Energy prices have been supported in recent weeks by renewed optimism about global demand and a revival of concerns about the geopolitical situation in the Middle East. However, we do not expect this to last,” Jessica Hinds of Capital Economics said in a commentary.

“On the demand side, although U.S. crude stocks have fallen by more than expected recently, we would be wary of placing too much weight on this development,” Hinds said.

Later Wednesday, the Federal Reserve will give an updated assessment of the U.S. economy when it wraps up a two-day meeting in Washington. The government will release the first reading of second-quarter gross domestic product growth. Analysts expect the economy expanded more slowly last quarter compared with the 1.8 percent growth reported for the first three months of the year.

On Friday the release of employment data for July will be examined for hints about future energy demand in the world’s No. 1 economy.

Brent crude, which is traded in London, fell 9 cents to $103.17.