Time to short oil! Any comments?
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Oil fell $4 to $128 a barrel on
Tuesday, pulled down by the stronger U.S. dollar and concerns
moves to cut Asian fuel subsidies could hurt demand growth.
U.S. crude traded down $4.01 to $128.18 a barrel in late
post settlement trade, after settling down $3.34 at $128.85 in
the first day of trade on the New York Mercantile Exchange this
week following the U.S. Memorial Day holiday.
London Brent crude settled down $4.06 at $128.31 a barrel.
The losses came as the U.S. dollar rose broadly after April
U.S. new-home data showed an unexpected rise, dragging oil off
record highs over $135 a barrel struck last week.
Oil price have doubled in the past year as speculators pile
into commodities as a hedge against inflation and the weaker
dollar, extending a six-year rally as supply struggles to keep
pace with rising demand in emerging economies like China.
Prices rose Monday when Royal Dutch Shell said it was
forced to cut production in Nigeria after rebels from the
southern Niger Delta blew up an oil pipeline.
Further weakness on Tuesday came from signs some Asian
countries could ease subsidies that have kept down prices,
raising concern demand in the region could falter.
Demand in top consumer the United States is already under
pressure from high prices.
"Crude is looking toppy due to very obvious demand
destruction in the U.S. and impending demand fall off in Asia,"
said Nauman Barakat, senior vice president at Macquarie Futures
USA.
Over the past week Indonesia, Taiwan, Sri Lanka and
Bangladesh have either raised regulated fuel prices or pledged
that they will, forced into unpopular action by the
unsustainable cost of subsidies.
The weakness in demand has helped pull down near-term
prices against crude futures five years out and beyond, where
some analysts are concerned resource management in producer
countries could keep supply under pressure.
PRICE PROTESTS
Surging fuel costs have caused a wave of protests across
the globe, with convoys of trucks converging on London on
Tuesday. French fishermen have blocked road and rail access to
the fuel depot of France's largest oil refinery at Gonfreville,
owned by Total.
Rising prices have prompted some oil consuming nations to
call on OPEC to ramp up production. Members of the cartel
insist speculators, not a shortfall in supply, is driving
prices and say they will not meet ahead of their scheduled
meeting in September to discuss output policy.