Oil Prices Hold Gains Ahead of US-China Trade Talks

SEATTLE (Oil Monster): Oil prices held on to last week's gains early on Monday as investors waited for U.S.-China trade talks to be held in London later in the day.

Brent crude futures were flat at $66.47 a barrel at 0008 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude was trading up 1 cent at $64.59.

The prospect of a U.S.-China trade deal supported prices as three of Donald Trump's top aides were set to meet with counterparts in London on Monday for the first meeting of the U.S.-China economic and trade consultation mechanism.

The announcement on Saturday followed a rare Thursday call between the two countries' top leaders, with both under pressure to dial down tensions as China's export controls on rare earths disrupt global supply chains. Oil prices posted their first weekly gain in three weeks on the news.

A U.S. jobs report showing unemployment held steady in May appeared to increase the odds of a Federal Reserve interest rate cut, further supporting last week's gains. Inflation data from China on Monday morning will give a reading of domestic demand in the world's largest crude importer.

The economic data and the prospect of a trade deal that could support economic growth and increase demand for oil outweighed worries about increased OPEC+ supply after the group announced another big output hike for July on May 31.

HSBC expects OPEC+ to accelerate supply hikes in August and September, which are likely to raise downside risks to the bank's $65 per barrel Brent forecast from the fourth quarter of 2025, according to a research note on Friday.

Capital Economics researchers said they believe this "new faster pace of (OPEC+) production rises is here to stay".

Courtesy: www.reuters.com