Oil below $97, dragged down by plentiful suppliesOctober 31, 2013 - 12:10 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Oil extended losses below $97 a barrel Thursday, Oct 31, dragged down by plentiful supplies and the prospect of less U.S. monetary stimulus, the Associated Press reports. Benchmark U.S. crude for December delivery was down 16 cents at $96.61 a barrel at midafternoon Bangkok time in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract dropped $1.43, or 1.5 percent, to close at $96.77 on Wednesday. The drop followed an Energy Department report which showed an increase of 4.1 million barrels in crude oil stocks last week. Over five weeks, supplies have risen by more than 25 million barrels, suggested muted demand. The outcome of a two-day meeting of the Federal Reserve's policy committee added to the pressure on oil prices. The Fed kept its mammoth monetary stimulus in place. But the central bank's positive tone on the economy indicated that it might be prepared to slow its bond purchases by early next year, sooner than some have assumed. The withdrawal of stimulus would result in higher interest rates and a stronger U.S. dollar, making oil more expensive for holders of other currencies. Brent crude, a benchmark for international crude also used by U.S. refineries, was down 25 cents to $109.61 on the ICE exchange in London. Related links: Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Ucom Celebrates Telecommunication Day May 17 commemorates the founding of the International Telecommunication Union on May 17, 1865. Armenian, Azerbaijani heads of parliament meet in Switzerland President of the Armenian parliament Alen Simonyan met with the Speaker of the Azerbaijani Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova. Border residents overnight on highway to protest Armenia’s Residents of Kirants continue to express outrage over the government’s decision to cede land to Azerbaijan. Get Started: An educational platform for young startuppers The Get Started program which operates in two phases is an important platform for young startuppers. |