Oil prices tumble on Monday on signs of a continued slowdown in economic activity in China due to tight quarantine measures to curb the spread of COVID-19.
The Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) for China’s manufacturing industry fell to its lowest level since July of 49.2 in October from 50.1 a month earlier, according to data from China’s National Bureau of Statistics (GSO).
An index value below 50 points indicates a decline in activity in the sector.
PMI services in China in October fell to 48.7 points, dropping below 50 points for the first time since May.
The cost of December futures for Brent oil on the London ICE Futures exchange by 8:15 am TST on Monday is $95.03 per barrel, which is $0.74 (0.77%) lower than the closing price of the previous session. As a result of trading on Friday, these contracts fell by $1.19 (1.2%) to $95.77 per barrel.
December futures expire at the close of the market on Monday. More actively traded January contracts fell by $0.69 (0.74%) to $93.08 per barrel.
The price of futures for WTI oil for December in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX) has decreased by $0.49 (0.56%) by this time, to $87.41 per barrel. By the close of previous trading, the value of these contracts fell by $1.18 (1.3%) to $87.9 per barrel.
As a result of last week, Brent rose by 2.4% per barrel, WTI – by 3.4%. The market closes the month with a rise of almost 10% due to the decision taken by OPEC + to cut production from November by 2 million barrels per day.
“Oil prices are likely to rise as OPEC+ cuts production and the EU embargo on Russian oil purchases (introduced in response to the continuation of the full-scale war unleashed by the Russian Federation against Ukraine – IF) will come into force on December 5,” notes the managing director Vanir Global Markets in Singapore James Whistler quoted by Bloomberg.
