Oil prices have popped higher after the US Federal Reserve made a large cut to the interest rate policy. However, the upside of oil remains capped amid global demand concerns.
Brent Crude Futures (November) is up by 0.5% ($0.36) and is trading near $74.01. Similarly, the WTI Crude Futures (October) gained 0.3% ($0.34) and is trading around $71.15. During the Asian session, both of these benchmarks turned lower only to recover after the interest rate cut.
Wednesday marked an important milestone for the US Federal Reserve as the central bank has cut the rates by 0.5%. This interest rate cut will boost the energy demand and economic activity in the USA. However, some believe that it is also a sign that the labor market is weak which could also slowdown the economy.
According to analysts from ANZ, the 50 bps rate cut is a sign that the US economy is facing headwinds. At the same time, the Fed has played down any hopes for a similar rate cut in the medium term.
Meanwhile, the demand for oil from China is also expected to remain weak due to the economic slowdown. As a result, a slowdown was seen in the refinery output for the 5th month in a row in China.
As a coincidence, the industrial output of China also continues to slow for the 5th month in a row. At the same time, retail sales and industrial output growth have also taken a hit, which is weighing on the Oil demand.
According to analysts from Citi, the oil market will experience a deficit that will support Brent crude oil. They added that the price of oil will likely go up towards $70 - $75 in the next quarter.
As for the year 2025, the weakness in oil prices will return once again and will likely send it down towards $60 per barrel.