Global benchmark Brent is trading near US$105 a barrel and has swung by more than $5 intraday for 16 consecutive sessions – the longest such run ever – as the oil market has been gripped by huge gyrations.
Oil advanced above US$100 a barrel as Russia cast doubts on the progress of current peace talks with Ukraine and investors weigh the absence of Russian barrels in a tight market.
Futures in New York were up around 7%. A Kremlin spokesman said a report of major progress in talks over Ukraine was “wrong,” but that discussions will continue. The war has severely disrupted Russian oil flows, and the International Energy Agency predicted output from the key OPEC+ member will decline by about a quarter in April. Three cargoes were dropped from Russia’s planned March loadings.
