Oil prices fell on Friday on concerns about demand growth in 2025, especially in the world's biggest crude importer, China, leaving the global oil benchmark on track to end the week down nearly 3%.
Brent crude futures were down 33 cents, or 0.45%, at $72.55 a barrel by 0730 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures were down 32 cents, or 0.46%, at $69.06 a barrel.
China's state-owned refiner Sinopec (OTC:SHIIY) said in its annual energy outlook released on Thursday that China's crude imports could peak as early as 2025 and the country's oil consumption would peak in 2027 as demand for diesel and gasoline weakens.
"Benign crude prices are in a prolonged consolidation phase as the market heads into the end of the year weighed down by uncertainties in oil demand growth," said Emril Jamil, senior research specialist at LSEG.
He added that OPEC+ will need supply discipline to lift prices and calm market jitters over ongoing revisions to its demand growth outlook. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies, collectively known as OPEC+, recently cut their growth forecasts for global oil demand in 2024 for the fifth straight month.
Source: Investing
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