LONDON – Oil slipped on Friday, burdened by the prospect of weaker global growth, higher interest rates and COVID-19 lockdowns in China hurting demand even as the European Union considers a ban on Russian oil that would further tighten supply.
The International Monetary Fund this week cut its global economic growth forecast while the US Federal Reserve Chair Thursday said that a half-point increase to interest rates “will be on the table” at the next Fed policy meeting in May.
Brent crude was down $1.73, or 1.6%, at $106.60 a barrel by 10:45 GMT. US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude declined $1.89, or 1.8%, to $101.09.
“At this stage, fears over China’s growth and overtightening by the Fed, capping US growth, seem to be balancing out concerns that Europe will soon widen sanctions on Russian energy imports,” said Jeffrey Halley, analyst at brokerage OANDA according to Reuters.
The outlook for demand in China, the world’s biggest oil importer, continues to weigh. Shanghai announced a new round of measures including daily coronavirus testing from Friday, adding to strict measures to curb the latest outbreaks.
Brent hit $139 a barrel last month, its highest since 2008, but both oil benchmarks were heading for weekly declines of more than 4%.
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