Oil on track for weekly gain as Iran tensions remain unresolved

Oil prices rose on Friday and were on track for a weekly increase as geopolitical tensions over Iran remained unresolved, although flagging prospects for global economic growth amid the U.S.-China trade war capped gains.
Brent crude futures LCOc1 were up 23 cents at $63.62 per barrel at 0922 GMT, equivalent to a weekly rise of around 1.8 per cent.
They fell six per cent last week.
U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude CLc1 was 25 cents higher at $56.27 a barrel, a weekly gain of 1.1 per cent.
It fell to 7.5 per cent last week.
Tensions remained high around the Strait of Hormuz, the world’s most important oil passageway, as Iran refused to release a British-flagged tanker it seized last week in the Gulf.
U.S. Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, said Washington had asked Japan, France, Germany, South Korea, Australia and other nations to join a maritime security initiative in the Middle East so oil and other products can flow through the strait.
However, oil prices’ reaction to the strains in the Gulf has been relatively muted.
“It appears that the majority of market participants do not expect a military conflict that would hamper oil shipments,’’ Commerzbank analyst, Carsten Fritsch, said.
Prices also drew support from a crude inventory draw in the U.S., but gains were limited as the fall appeared to have been largely anticipated.
U.S. production in the Gulf of Mexico was still feeling the effects of Hurricane Barry.
“Several indicators pointing to a slowdown of global oil demand growth appear to have taken over market sentiment,’’ Jefferies analyst, Jason Gammel, said.
Reuters’ polls taken July 1-24 showed the growth outlook for nearly 90 per cent of the more than 45 economies surveyed was downgraded or left unchanged.
That applied not just to this year but also 2020.
“Growing challenges in the macroeconomic environment has kept bullish bets in check as risk appetites remain soft over potential weakness in global fuel demand,’’ said Benjamin Lu, Commodities Analyst at Singapore-based Phillip Futures.
The slowdown in global manufacturing and trade, and the associated hit to oil consumption, largely stems from a U.S.-China trade war that has rumbled on over the last year.
Trade talks between the two countries broke down in May after nearing an agreement.
Next week, top U.S. and Chinese negotiators meet for the first time since then.
Any positive outcome of the meeting is expected to boost oil prices.