Market Close: March 03 Up
Mar 3rd, 2021 by loren
Crude inventories rose by 21.6 million barrels, the most on record, to 484.6 million barrels, EIA said. Refining capacity use fell to just 56% of overall capacity, the lowest on record, as the U.S. Gulf Coast’s refining capacity use plunged to 40.9%, the lowest ever.
Brent Crude rose $1.75, or 2.8%, to $64.45 a barrel. WTI Crude settled 2.56% higher at $61.28 per barrel. Earlier, oil prices jumped after Reuters, citing three sources, reported that the OPEC+ group comprising the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies including Russia is considering rolling over production cuts from March into April rather than raising output. The group had previously been widely expected to ease the production cuts on Thursday. Kuwaiti Oil Minister Mohammad al-Fares said the market was being supported by optimism over vaccinations.
Also positive for prices, U.S. President Joe Biden said the United States would have enough COVID-19 vaccines for every American adult by the end of May after Merck & Co agreed to make rival Johnson & Johnson’s inoculation. Biden said he hoped that the United States would be “back to normal” at this time next year and potentially sooner.