澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询

Why Oil Prices Have Been Falling

Doubts About ꦰPreviously Anticipated Demand, Particularly From China, Have Grown

 oil storage tanks at the Enterprise Sealy Station are see on June 14, 2024 in Sealy, Texas.

Brandon Bell / Getty Images

KEY TAKEAWAYS

  • Global oil prices fell for the third straight day, extending a drop of almost 5% since July 4.
  • Growing concerns about weakening demand, particularly from China, have fed the decline.
  • Nonetheless, the U.S. raised its second-half 2024 oil price forecast last week.

Global oil prices slid for the third straight day Tuesday, reflecting investors' deepening concerns about declining demand.

Brent crude, the global price benchmark, for September delivery fell as much as 1.7% to a one-month low of $83.40 per barrel. Since July 4, brent crude has dropped 4.6%.

Concerns About Slowing Demand from China

Traders and investors blamed the decline on worries that China's economy can't sustain previously anticipated oil consumption. The country's second-quarter economic growth slowed more than expected. In addition, doubt persists about the willingness of top Communist Pℱarty officials to reform an economy hamstrung by a depressed real estate sector.

Meanwhile, average crude shipments from Russia in the past four weeks dropped to their lowest level since January, potentially signaling demand weakness elsewhere. The decline also could indicate increased compliance with OPEC+ output restrictions.

U.S. Economy Also Slowing

U.S. economic growth also has weakened, with gross domestic product in the first-quarter advancing just 1.4% on an annualized basis. That marked the weakest growth since the second quarter of 2022 and significant decline from 3.4% in last year's fourth quarter.

The Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta's GDPNow forecast estimates U.S. growth recovered somewhat to 2% in the second quarter. The U.S. government will release its first second-quarter growth estimate July 27.

EIA Predicts Crude Prices Will Rise

Overall, 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:oil demand and prices forecasts have declined in recent months. A slowdown in demand may stave off a global oil supply deficit the Int🎃ernational 🎃Energy Agency predicted earlier this year.

Nonetheless, plenty of uncertainty remains. Just last week, the U.S. Energy Information Agency predicted Brent crude would average $87.97 per barrel in the third quarter and $89.64 in the fourth quarter. That's up from $83.25 and $86.64, respectively, from its forecast only a month ago.

Do you have a news tip for Investopedia reporters? Please email us at
Article Sources
Investopedia requires writers to use primary sources to support their work. These include white papers, government data, original reporting, and interviews with industry experts. We also reference original research from other reputable publishers where appropriate. You can learn more about the standards we follow in producing accurate, unbiased content in our editorial policy.
  1. Reuters. ""

  2. Bloomberg. ""

Compare Accounts
The offers that appear in this table are from partnerships from which Investopedia receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where listings appear. Investopedia does not include all offers available in the marketplace.

Related Articles