by winston » Tue Apr 26, 2022 10:37 am
Oil falls below US$97 as China's lockdowns imperil demand outlook
West Texas Intermediate futures slid as much as 6.2 per cent, falling below the key US$100 level on Monday (Apr 25).
Rising coronavirus cases in Beijing sparked jitters about an unprecedented lockdown of the capital, while Shanghai reported record daily deaths over the weekend.
Demand is down 1.2 million barrels a day since the lockdowns in Shanghai began, and a shutdown of the capital could impact demand even more so, he added.
Potential demand destruction from China lockdowns "is the number one issue in the market right now," said Bob Yawger, director of the futures division at Mizuho Securities USA.
China has implemented lockdowns in a number of cities as it pursues a Covid Zero strategy.
In Beijing, the government has expanded testing to 12 districts from Apr 26-30.
China, the world’s biggest importer of liquefied natural gas, is trying to sell some spare supply due to fears that demand-sapping virus lockdowns could spread from Shanghai to other parts of the country.
Source: OCBC
It's all about "how much you made when you were right" & "how little you lost when you were wrong"