據路透社5月18日報道，油價周一攀升逾1美元/桶，受減產和需求逐步復蘇的跡象支撐，且美國原油期貨沒有顯示出上月合約期滿后價格大跌的跡象。

格林尼治時間06：34，布倫特原油LCOc1上漲1.33美元，至每桶33.83美元，漲幅4.1%，此前曾觸及4月13日以來的最高點。美國西德克薩斯中質原油期貨CLc1上漲1.65美元，至每桶31.08美元，漲幅5.6%，此前曾升至3月16日以來最高位。較為活躍的7月合約CLc2報31.05美元/桶，上漲1.53美元。

AxiCorp首席全球市場策略師斯蒂芬英尼斯(Stephen Innes)在一份報告中表示:“隨著流動性限制放松力度的加大，油價可能會顯示出進一步的上行勢頭。”

WTI 6月合約將于周二到期，但幾乎沒有跡象表明，WTI將重現上月5月合約到期前夕的歷史性暴跌。有跡象顯示，原油和衍生燃料需求正從低點回升。

由于美國能源公司連續第二個星期削減石油和天然氣鉆井平臺的數量，石油產量也在下降。這在一定程度上緩解了人們對西德克薩斯中質原油合約交割地——俄克拉荷馬州庫欣存儲空間不足的擔憂。

美國聯邦儲備委員會(Federal Reserve)主席鮑威爾(Jerome Powell) 在今年晚些時候發表對經濟復蘇的樂觀展望，這種樂觀情緒得到了加強。鮑威爾在廣播講話中稱:“如果不出現第二次冠狀病毒疫情，我認為，美國經濟將在今年下半年穩步復蘇。”

支撐油價的還有石油輸出國組織(OPEC)及其盟友的減產舉措，其中包括俄羅斯。世界最大的石油出口國沙特阿拉伯上周宣布，將在6月份再減產100萬桶/天，而歐佩克則希望在6月份會議結束后繼續減產。據科威特《Al Rai報》報道，科威特和沙特阿拉伯已同意從6月1日起，在一個月內停止哈夫吉聯合油田的石油生產。

歐亞集團(Eurasia Group)預計，由于石油需求只是緩慢回升，大幅減產將持續到2021年。該組織的分析師在一份報告中稱:“隨著政府放松封鎖，道路燃料的需求正在逐漸上升，但復蘇將是緩慢的。”

鄒勤 摘譯自 路透社

原文如下：

Oil prices rise more than $1 ahead of June WTI contract expiry

Oil prices climbed by more than $1 a barrel on Monday, supported by output cuts and signs of a gradual recovery in demand amid easing coronavirus curbs, with U.S. oil showing no signs of last month’s contract expiry price rout.

Brent crude LCOc1 was up $1.33, or 4.1%, at $33.83 a barrel by 0634 GMT, after touching its highest since April 13. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude CLc1 was up $1.65, or 5.6%, at $31.08 a barrel, after rising to its highest since March 16. The more active July contract CLc2 was at $31.05, up $1.53.

“Oil prices may show further upside momentum as the easing in mobility restrictions grows,” said Stephen Innes, chief global market strategist at AxiCorp in a note, referring to curbs that were designed to counter the coronavirus.

The June WTI contract expires on Tuesday, but there was little indication of WTI repeating the historic plunge below zero seen last month on the eve of the May contract’s expiry amid signs that demand for crude and derived fuels is recovering from its nadir.

Production is also falling as U.S. energy firms cut the number of oil and natural gas rigs operating to an all-time low for a second consecutive week. That partly helped ease concerns about the WTI contract’s delivery point in Cushing, Oklahoma, running out of space.

The positive mood was reinforced as U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell issued an optimistic outlook for economic recovery later this year.

“Assuming there is not a second wave of the coronavirus, I think you will see the economy recover steadily through the second half of this year,” Powell said Sunday night in broadcast remarks.

Also supporting oil prices are production cuts by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and its allies, including Russia, a grouping known as OPEC+.

The world’s top exporter Saudi Arabia announced last week that it would cut an additional 1 million barrels per day in June, while OPEC+ wants to maintain existing oil cuts beyond June when the group is next due to meet.

Kuwait and Saudi Arabia have agreed to halt oil production from the joint Al-Khafji field for one month, starting from June 1, Kuwait’s Al Rai newspaper reported on Saturday.

Eurasia Group expects significant supply cuts to be maintained into 2021 as oil demand is only slowly picking up.

“Demand for road fuel is gradually rising as governments ease lockdowns, but recovery will be slow and there is a risk of repeat COVID-19 outbreaks and quarantine orders,” its analysts said in a note.