Brent crude remains above $108 a barrel on West Asia supply disruption concerns

Brent crude oil prices continued to stay above $108 per barrel on Friday, fueled by concerns over potential supply disruptions in West Asia due to escalating attacks on shipping routes. At 9:37 am, Friday's trading saw Brent oil futures at $108.42, up 0.73%, while West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil futures were at $103.04, also up 0.55%.

In international markets, September crude oil futures on the Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX) opened at ₹9888, up 1.71% from the previous close of ₹9722, while October futures were at ₹9475, up 1.32% from ₹9,352. The Houthis took control of Mocha, a Yemeni port city, and advanced along the Red Sea coast, threatening the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a key shipping route.

This development significantly raised oil prices, with ICE Brent settling over 6% higher. Market strategists noted that oil's rising prices reflect the market's reassessment of the conflict's duration and severity, as well as a heightened awareness of the growing threat to regional supply. While parts of the Strait of Hormuz continue to facilitate shipments, flow levels are far below pre-war rates, highlighting the fragility of current supply dynamics.

Moreover, the August production figures revealed by Saudi Arabia indicated that the country supplied 7.12 million barrels a day to the market, relying on inventory to meet demand. This suggests reduced production capacity, adding to concerns about the global oil supply. Additionally, Iraq's supply increased by 664,000 barrels a day in August, reaching 3.38 million barrels a day.

This rise in production, coupled with the growing appetite for oil from Chinese independent refineries, suggests that market concerns are mounting. China's growing demand, after refiners began increasing their production rates, could further strain global oil markets. The US Energy Information Administration's weekly report indicated a decrease in commercial crude oil inventories by 0.4 million barrels, while gasoline stocks rose by 1.3 million barrels, a 5% decline from the five-year average.

Distillate inventories increased by 2.1 million barrels, a 13% drop from the five-year average. Overall, total product supplied in the US averaged 20.1 million barrels a day, which was 3.7% lower than the previous year. Gasoline supply decreased by 1.4% year-over-year, while distillate and jet fuel supplies saw reductions of 2.6% and 2.3%, respectively.