Oil Holds Above $70 as Geopolitics Eclipses Supply Outlook

Oil rose on Tuesday, holding above $70 a barrel for a third day, supported by concerns that tensions in the Middle East could lead to supply disruptions, although with global output rising fast, investors remained cautious.

Brent crude futures LCOc1 were up 28 cents on the day at$70.40 a barrel by 0848 GMT, while West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures CLc1 were up 19 cents at $65.74 a barrel.

The oil price has risen by more than 7 percent so far this month and by 5.3 percent in the first three months of the year, putting it on track for a third consecutive quarterly gain, something the market has not witnessed since late 2010.

Geopolitics and expectations of the world’s largest exporters controlling supply have helped push Brent above $70 this year for the second time since late 2014, but analysts said this strength may not persist for long.

“The recent rally in oil prices might have taken some by surprise as the underlying fundamental picture does not justify Brent being close to $70/bbl. This view is based on the simple fact that non-OPEC oil supply growth will trump the increase in global oil demand this year,” PVM Oil Associates analyst Tamas Varga said.

read more/source: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-global-oil/oil-holds-above-70-as-geopolitics-eclipses-supply-outlook-idUSKBN1H3077