據3月10日路透社報道，油價周二跌至每桶68美元左右，盤中波動劇烈，因對沙特阿拉伯供應中斷的擔憂減弱，這與美元漲勢暫停以及歐佩克+產量限制導致供應緊張的前景形成對抗。

周一，原油價格達到了新冠肺炎疫情開始以來的最高水平，一天前，也門胡塞武裝向沙特油田發射了無人機和導彈。然而，隨著供應擔憂緩解，油價開始下滑。

布倫特原油期貨結算價下跌72美分，至每桶67.52美元，跌幅1.06%。該合同在交易價格每桶69.33美元有所回落。它周一達到了71.38美元/桶，是自2020年1月8日以來的最高水平。

美國西德克薩斯中質原油(WTI)下跌1.04美元，至每桶64.01美元，跌幅1.6%。周一，該合約觸及2018年10月以來的最高水平。在結算后的交易中，美國原油價格擴大了跌幅。

交易消息人士引用美國石油協會結算后公布的數據稱，美國原油庫存最近一周大幅上升。本周原油庫存增加了1280萬桶。今年3月至3月5日，路透調查中分析師的預期為81.6萬桶。

Price Futures group高級分析師菲爾?弗林在API數據發布后表示：“這更像是煉油廠仍在關閉?！鄙现苊绹鴰齑鎰摷o錄的下降是在墨西哥灣沿岸煉油廠因德克薩斯州最近的冬季風暴而關閉之后發生的。

Flynn說：“市場似乎對這些擔憂有所減弱。它經歷了令人難以置信的上漲，現在是回調的時候了?！?/span>

EIA在月度報告中表示，目前預計2021年美國原油日產量將減少16萬桶至1115萬桶，降幅小于此前預估的29萬桶/日。

石油輸出國組織(OPEC)和俄羅斯及其盟友周四決定普遍堅持減產，推動油價反彈。里斯塔德能源公司的比約納?通哈根表示:“我們建議保持謹慎，因為價格當然不會永遠上漲。當美國每周石油庫存報告發布時，一個更明確的價格方向有望很快出現?！?/span>

“跳水最近被視為購買機會”，經紀人PVM的塔馬斯·瓦爾加說：“上周的歐佩克+會議將確保全球石油平衡在可預見的未來變得更加緊張。”分析師稱，美元走強往往會抑制投資者對大宗商品的需求，這對石油造成了壓力。 美元從3月1日至2月的高點回落。

馮于榮 摘譯自 路透社

原文如下：

Oil slips below $68 as rally fizzles before U.S. supply report

Oil fell to around $68 a barrel on Tuesday in a choppy session, pressured as concerns faded of a supply disruption in Saudi Arabia, which countered a pause in the dollar’s rally and prospects for tighter supply due to OPEC+ output curbs.

On Monday, crude hit its highest level since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, a day after Yemen’s Houthi forces fired drones and missiles at Saudi oil sites. Saudi Arabia said it thwarted the strike, however, and prices slipped as supply fears eased.

Brent crude settled down 72 cents, or 1.06%, at $67.52 a barrel. The contract pulled back after trading as high as $69.33. It reached $71.38 on Monday, the highest since Jan. 8, 2020.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) fell $1.04, or 1.6% to settle at $64.01 a barrel. The contract hit its highest on Monday since October 2018.

In post-settlement trade, U.S. crude extended losses. U.S. crude oil stockpiles rose sharply in the most recent week, according to trading sources, citing data from industry group the American Petroleum Institute released after settlement.

Crude inventories rose by 12.8 million barrels in the week

to March 5, compared with analysts’ expectations in a Reuters poll for a build of 816,000 barrels, sources said. [L1N2L72S5]

“This is more of the same as refineries remain shut down,” said Phil Flynn, senior analyst at Price Futures group, speaking after the API data was released.

Last week’s record decline in U.S. inventories came after the shutdown of Gulf Coast refineries due to the recent winter storm in Texas.

“The market seems to be softening on those concerns. It’s had an incredible run, and it’s due for a correction,” Flynn said.

Official figures from the EIA are expected Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. ET.

In a monthly report, the EIA said it now expects U.S. crude oil production to decline by 160,000 barrels per day (bpd) in 2021 to 11.15 million bpd, a smaller decline than its previous forecast of a 290,000-bpd drop. [L1N2L71PL]

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) plus Russia and allies, a group known as OPEC+, decided on Thursday to broadly stick to output cuts, fueling a rally.

“Caution is advised as prices are, of course, not going to rise forever,” said Bjornar Tonhaugen of Rystad Energy. “A more definite price direction is expected soon, when the U.S. weekly oil inventory reports” are released.

“Dips have been lately viewed as buying opportunities,” said Tamas Varga of broker PVM. “Last week’s OPEC+ meeting will ensure that the global oil balance will get tighter in the foreseeable future.”

A stronger U.S. dollar, which tends to crimp investor demand for commodities, has weighed on oil, analysts said. The dollar eased from a 3-1/2-month high reached earlier.