據彭博社7月22日報道，因市場預期需求復蘇將很快令全球市場吃緊，油價小幅走高，創下3個月來最大漲幅。

　　西德克薩斯中質原油(West Texas Intermediate)期貨價格進一步突破每桶70美元，目前已收復了周一7.5%的大部分跌幅。許多大型石油消費國的汽油使用基本上已恢復正常，道路交通數據也顯示出轉好的趨勢。市場復蘇促使亞洲從戰略儲備中向地方煉油廠供應原油，以期為油價降溫。

　　由于擔心delta變異毒株的傳播將對全球經濟造成新的打擊，周一原油價格與更廣泛的金融市場同步下跌。這種病毒已經席卷了整個亞洲，促使各國政府重新出臺一系列限制措施，以遏制其蔓延。油價暴跌發生在歐佩克+周末會議之后，由沙特阿拉伯和俄羅斯領導的23國聯盟最終確定了恢復停產的計劃。

　　自那以來，市場一直在好轉，因為交易員預計歐佩克+計劃的增產幅度不足以避免未來幾個月出現短缺。美國政府數據顯示，俄克拉荷馬州庫欣的石油庫存降至2020年1月以來的最低水平，市場情緒得到提振。

　　PVM石油聯合公司的分析師Stephen Brennock表示:“市場參與者擺脫了對疫情將打擊石油需求的部分擔憂情緒，相信石油基本面會收緊。”

　　價格方面

　　倫敦時間上午10點29分，紐約商品交易所9月份交貨的西德克薩斯中質原油(WTI)價格上漲0.9%，至每桶70.96美元。

　　在歐洲期貨交易所，9月份交割的布倫特原油價格上漲0.9%，至每桶72.85美元。布倫特原油現貨價差為每桶63美分。雖然這是一種看漲趨勢，近期價格高于遠期價格，但一周前的價差為每桶70美分。

　　美國能源信息署(EIA)周三公布，盡管美國原油庫存意外增加，但餾分油和汽油供應下降。來自世界各地的數據顯示，目前美國、印度、西班牙和葡萄牙的汽油消費量低于2019年水平的4%，而英國的需求下降了6%

　　王佳晶 摘譯自 彭博社

　　原文如下：

　　Oil rises after biggest gain in three months on demand recovery

　　Oil edged higher, holding the biggest gain in three months, amid expectations that recovering demand will soon tighten global markets.

　　West Texas Intermediate futures pushed further above US$70 a barrel, and have now recouped much of Monday’s 7.5 per centcollapse. Gasoline use is essentially back to normal in many of the biggest oil-consuming countries, with road traffic data showing a similar trend. The market recovery has spurred Asia to supply crude from its strategic reserves to local refiners in a bid to cool prices.

　　Crude slumped on Monday in tandem with broader financial markets on fears that the spread of the coronavirus’ delta variant would inflict a fresh blow on the global economy. The variant has ripped through Asia, prompting a flurry of renewed curbs by governments to check its spread. The price plunge came just after a weekend meeting of OPEC+, at which the 23-nation alliance led by Saudi Arabia and Russia finalized plans to restore halted production.

　　Since then, the market has been on the mend as traders anticipate that OPEC+’s scheduled output increases aren’t large enough to avert a shortfall in coming months. Sentiment has been boosted as U.S. government data showed oil inventories at the nation’s key storage hub in Cushing, Oklahoma, falling to the lowest since January 2020.

　　“Market players shook off some of their worries that the pandemic will hit oil demand and put their faith in tightening oil fundamentals,” said Stephen Brennock, an analyst at PVM Oil Associates Ltd.

　　Prices:

　　WTI for September delivery rose 0.9 per centto US$70.96 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange at 10:29 a.m. London time.

　　Brent for September settlement also advanced 0.9 per centto trade at US$72.85 a barrel on the ICE Futures Europe exchange.

　　Brent’s prompt time spread was 63 cents a barrel in backwardation. While that’s a bullish pattern -- with near-dated prices above those further out -- it compares with 70 cents a barrel a week ago.

　　Although there was an unexpected build in overall U.S. crude stockpiles, distillates and gasoline supplies declined, the Energy Information Administration reported on Wednesday. Data from around the world now show gasoline consumption within 4 per centeither side of 2019 levels in the U.S., India, Spain and Portugal, while demand is down 6 per centin the U.K.