At 12:15 GMT, the US economy released its reading for the ADP Non-Farm employment change for May at -2.760 million jobs, higher than forecasts of -9.000 million jobs, and higher than Apirl's reading of -19.557 million after it was revised from -20.236. This data is positive for the US economy.
The US crude turned lower as the US market opened on Wednesday, on profit taking after hitting a 3-month high earlier, after the American Petroleum Institute showed in preliminary an unexpected drop in US crude inventories, and ahead of EIA weekly report later today.
The US crude fell 2.5% to $35.91 a barrel, after it opened at $36.83, and hit an intraday high and the highest since March 9 of $38.15.
The US crude gained 3.6% yesterday, posting the fourth daily gain, on hopes for OPEC-Plus coalition to extend its output agreement.
The American Petroleum Institute (API) revealed yesterday in preliminary data the US crude inventories fell 0.483 million barrels during the week ending in May 29, beating than forecasts of a rise by 3.5 million barrels, in a positive sign of the demand and consumption levels in the US after easing the coronavirus lockdown.
While the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) will release today the official data on inventories and production levels in its weekly report, with forecasts for inventories to rise by 3 million barrels.
As for the US production it fell 100,000 barrels to 11.4 million barrels per day, the lowest level since the week ending July 19, 2019.
Oil prices continued to rally on Wednesday for the fifth day in a row, hitting a 3-month high, as Brent crude jumped above $40 a barrel for the first time since March, on hopes for OPEC-Plus coalition to extend its output agreement in the next meeting of this week and strong Chinese data on the services sector, and after the American Petroleum Institute showed in preliminary an unexpected drop in US crude inventories.
The US crude rose 3.6% to the highest since March 9 at $38.15 a barrel, after it opened at $36.83, and hit an intraday low of $36.82, and Brent crude rose 2.25% to the highest since March 6 at $40.51 a barrel, after it opened at $39.62, and hit a low of $39.62.
The US crude gained 3.6% and Brent futures gained 2.6% yesterday, posting the fourth daily gain, on hopes for OPEC-Plus coalition to extend its output agreement.
OPEC and independent allies led by Russia, known as the OPEC-Plus coalition, will hold an online video conference meeting on Thursday, to discuss the latest developments in the market, and member's compliance to the output cut.
Saudi Arabia is trying to convince the coalition to extend the current cuts for another month or two, to reach a more effective market balance and support the prices.
The OPEC-Plus coalition started implementing a global production cut by 9.7 million barrels per day, and will continue until June, but the cut will be reduced to 7.7 million bpd from July until the end of 2020, and will be reduced again to 5.7 million bpd starting in January 2021 to April 30, 2022.
The Saudi proposal is to extend the current cuts of 9.7 million barrels until the end of July or August, which appears to be accepted by most of the OPEC-Plus members.
Saudi Arabia has confirmed that it will cut its oil production starting from June by 1 million barrels per day in addition to its share in the OPEC-Plus cut agreement, which is around 40% of the total Saudi production to reach 7.5 million bpd.
Data showed that the Chinese services sector grew 55 points in May, beating forecasts of 47.4 points, and higher than 44.4 points in April, which raised hopes about the recovery of the world's second largest oil consumer from the coronavirus impact.
The American Petroleum Institute (API) revealed yesterday in preliminary data the US crude inventories fell 0.483 million barrels during the week ending in May 29, beating than forecasts of a rise by 3.5 million barrels, in a positive sign of the demand and consumption levels in the US after easing the coronavirus lockdown.
While the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) will release today the official data on inventories and production levels in its weekly report, with forecasts for inventories to rise by 3 million barrels.
Gold prices fell on Wednesday, extending losses for the second straight day, to pullback from a 2-week high on profit-taking and weak safe-haven demand, as most global stocks rallied today.
Gold fell 0.8% to $1,713.02 an ounce, after it lost 0.75% yesterday, posting its first loss in 5 days, on profit-taking a 2-week high of $1,745.09.
Most global stock markets continued to rally, as investors sentiment improved thanks to the continued major economies reopening measures and relaxing the coronavirus-lockdown, and hopes for a quick global economic recovery from the coronavirus impact, in addition to strong Chinese services data.
Data showed that the Chinese services sector grew 55 points in May, beating forecasts of 47.4 points, and higher than 44.4 points in April.
According to the data, the Chinese service sector returned to a growth path in May, after 3 months of stagnation due to the coronavirus lockdown, which raised hopes about the recovery of the world's second largest economy.
The market sentiment also drew support from the continued efforts made by global central banks to expand unprecedented financial and monetary stimulus programs to ease the coronavirus pandemic economic impact.
Gold stocks at the SPDR ETF rose 0.88 metric tonnes yesterday, with the total at the highest level since May 2013 at 1,129.28 metric tonnes.