據路透社5月6日報道，隨著需求下滑，美國原油庫存增長，投資者關注石油供應過剩風險，周三油價下跌，結束了連續多日的漲勢。

美國西德克薩斯中質原油(WTI)期貨價格下跌2.1%，至每桶24.05美元。格林威治時間02：01，下跌14美分，至每桶24.41美元。WTI已經結束了連續5天的上漲勢頭。

布倫特原油期貨價格保持穩定，為每桶30.97美元。前一個交易日，布倫特原油價格上漲了13.9%，這是六天上漲的一部分。由于布倫特原油合約在過去連續上漲過多，投資者可能不愿增加購買量。

布蘭特原油相對強度指數周三收于72.93點，這是一項用于跟蹤未來交易勢頭的技術指標，表明該指數在近期上漲后處于超買狀態。

此前美國石油協會周二公布的數據顯示，上周美國原油庫存增加840萬桶，增幅超過預期。隨著市場好轉，石油生產商在需求緊縮后削減石油供應，石油價格最近有所上漲。但分析師警告稱，市場的再平衡過程將是曲折的。

澳大利亞國民銀行(National Australia Bank)大宗商品策略主管拉克蘭表示:“我們正在談論供求關系的正常化，但還有很長的路要走。目前，已經出現了很多供應減少的情況，再加上一些需求上升的早期跡象，意味著庫存增加的速度正在放緩。當油價開始保持漲勢時，生產商將重新啟動油井生產。”

美國頁巖油生產商Diamondback Energy表示，如果WTI油價維持在每桶30美元以上，將考慮重啟鉆探計劃，這表明生產商不希望長期停產。

API報告稱，全球最大的石油生產國和消費國美國的汽油庫存下降了220萬桶，而路透社的一項調查顯示，分析師預計汽油庫存將增加4.3萬桶，煉油廠原油庫存也有所上升。

鄒勤 摘譯自 路透社

原文如下：

Oil prices fall as rising U.S. inventories reassert supply concerns

Oil prices fell on Wednesday, ending a multi-day streak of gains, as investors focused on oversupply risks after U.S. crude inventories rose more than expected amid a slump in demand caused by restrictions to halt the coronavirus spread.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures fell as much as 2.1% to $24.05 a barrel and were down 14 cents at $24.41 a barrel at 0201 GMT. WTI has snapped a five-day winning streak.

Brent crude futures were flat at $30.97 a barrel.

Brent prices climbed 13.9% in the previous session, part of a six-day rise. Investors may be hesitant to increase their purchases of Brent as the contract has climbed too much over the past streak.

Brent’s relative strength index, a technical measure used to track the future’s trading momentum, was at 72.93 on Wednesday, indicating it is overbought after the recent gains.

WTI also slipped after a report showed U.S. crude inventories rose 8.4 million barrels last week, more than expected, according to data from the American Petroleum Institute late on Tuesday.

Oil prices had gained recently as European and Asian countries had ended their lockdowns to halt the coronavirus spread and as producers had axed supply after the demand crunch. But analysts cautioned the rebalancing of the market would be choppy.

“We’re talking about normalisation of supply and demand but we’ve got a long way to go,” said Lachlan Shaw, National Australia Bank’s head of commodity strategy.

“There are a lot of supply cuts that have come through. That combined with some early signs of demand lifting has meant the rate of inventory build is slowing.”

But analysts also pointed to comments by U.S. shale producer Diamondback Energy saying it would consider reviving drilling plans if WTI held above $30 a barrel as a sign that producers will not want to shut in production for long.

“When (prices) start to hold on to those gains, there’ll be a point where producers start to reverse those well shut-ins,” Shaw said.

Gasoline stocks in the U.S., the world’s biggest producer and consumer of oil, fell by 2.2 million barrels, API reported, compared with analysts’ expectations in a Reuters poll for a 43,000 barrel increase, and refinery crude runs rose.