The international oil benchmark, Brent crude, fell the most in nearly two weeks as growing delays in Europe’s reopening and looming Iranian supply dampened hopes for a swift decline in global inventories.
Brent, against which Nigeria’s oil is priced, dropped by $2.65 to $62.21 per barrel, while the United States West Texas Intermediate fell by $2.75 to $58.70 per barrel.
The United Kingdom may delay global travel beyond May 17 if COVID-19 infections continue to surge around the world, while Italy also extended some restrictions for travelers, adding further pressure to a recovery in oil consumption, according to Bloomberg.
Meanwhile, Iran, the United States and the remaining members in the 2015 nuclear deal are set to gather in Vienna today to discuss potentially resurrecting the agreement, presenting a possible path toward removing sanctions on the Middle Eastern country’s oil exports. Yet, Iran indicated talks won’t succeed without the US fully removing sanctions.
More Iranian supply coming back to the market and renewed lockdowns complicate the picture for the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies, which agreed last week to raise production by more than two million barrels per day over the next several months.
