Worst of crisis is past for oil markets: Opec
Worst of crisis is past for oil markets: Opec
Vienna: Opec, oil producers’ cartel said that the worst of the impact from the economic crisis was past for the oil markets, as it fractionally reduced its demand estimate for 2009 on Friday.
“In light of the considerable challenges the world economy and commodity markets, particularly the oil market, have undergone the worst appears to be behind us," said Opec latest monthly report.
“As the world economy stabilises, the world oil demand appears to be settling down," it said.
“Industrial production activities are steadying and in some parts of the world have even improved slightly.This should stop the bleeding in oil demand. There are no significant downward revisions to our previous oil demand forecasts."
Opec estimated that demand would contract by 1.62 million barrels per day (bpd) or 1.89% in 2009 — only a marginal downward revision in demand from its earlier forecast.
In its previous monthly bulletin released in May, Opec had been pencilling in a contraction of 1.57 million bpd or 1.83% for 2009.
Nevertheless, uncertainties remained, Opec cautioned.
“US oil demand is the wild card and any further downward adjustment in the country’s oil demand would have an impact on total world oil demand," it said.
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