Futures Broker

Advertisements

Oil hits record above $80

Font Scale:
17 September 2007 @ 04:17 pm ET
  • Print
  • E-Mail

NEW YORK - Oil soared to a record above $80 a barrel on Monday on worries that global energy supplies could shrink to critical levels this winter heating season due to strong demand growth.

Expectations the U.S. Federal Reserve will agree to cut interest rates when it meets on Tuesday also supported oil and other commodities markets, raising the likelihood the economy will weather a U.S. credit crisis.

U.S. crude settled up $1.47, or 1.9 percent, to $80.57 a barrel after hitting a record $80.70. London Brent rose 76 cents to $76.98 a barrel.

Though oil prices have quadrupled since 2002, when adjusted for inflation the price is still below the $90-a-barrel peaks of the Iranian Revolution in 1979.

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries agreed on a small supply increase last week, but analysts said the decision to raise output by 500,000 barrels per day (bpd) from November 1 was not enough to reverse a rally that has lifted prices around 30 percent this year.

"We believe that this will be too little, too late, barring an outright collapse in demand, and now expect inventories to draw to critical levels this winter," said investment bank Goldman Sachs in a research note.

Goldman said it expected oil prices to hit $85 a barrel by the end of this year.

U.S. crude supplies are running at their lowest level in eight months while gasoline supplies in the top energy consumer were down at their lowest level since Hurricane Katrina knocked out several Gulf Coast refineries in 2005.

Analysts expect U.S. oil and gasoline supplies will fall further as recent storms in the Gulf of Mexico crimp imports and refinery operations.

Other commodities also shot higher on Monday, with gold reaching a 16-month high, supported by expectations of a U.S. interest rate cut that could increase investment flows.

advertisement
Charts

Advertisements

advertisement
Advertisement
POS Magnetic Card Readers

Online distributor for point of sale equipment, TYSSO and Pegasus.

 
IBTimes.com Web
Partners
International Business Times© 2009 The Ibtimes Company. All Rights Reserved. Terms of service | Privacy Policy | Advertising | About Us | Contact Us | Archives