油價本周開始再次走低，西得克薩斯中質原油每桶跌破70美元，布倫特原油每桶跌破74美元

對美國債務違約的擔憂是拉低油價的主要經濟因素，美國國會陷入了談判僵局

市場重新開放但復蘇不均衡只會加劇看跌情緒，交易商們在關注本月國際能源署(IEA)報告中的需求修正

據油價網2023年5月15日報道，根據當天早些時候發布的亞洲貿易數據，由于交易商們對全球經濟狀況的擔憂超過了對供應緊張的預期，油價本周開始再次下跌。

由于對美國可能出現債務違約的擔憂持續升溫，而美國國會仍在就債務上限進行談判，在撰寫本文時，布倫特原油交易價格報收于每桶74美元以下，而西得克薩斯中質原油交易價格跌至每桶70美元以下。

IG集團市場分析師Tony Sycamore對路透社記者表示：“由于全球經濟復蘇不均衡，且擔心美國經濟在債務上限的最后期限即將到來之際面臨增長放緩，加上美元走強，市場對原油的情緒最多將保持溫和。”

荷蘭國際集團大宗商品策略主管沃倫·帕特森向彭博新聞社表示：“由于需求前景不確定，以及對美國債務上限的擔憂，原油市場的情緒仍然消極。”“市場可能會在美國能源信息署（IEA）的月度市場報告中關注需求修正的可能性。”

據彭博新聞社報道，自今年年初以來，原油價格已經下跌了大約13%，交易商們已經積累了自2021年7月以來最大的大宗商品空頭頭寸。

李峻 編譯自 油價網

原文如下：

Oil Prices Sink As Economic Concerns Continue To Dominate Markets

·     Oil prices started the week lower once again, with West Texas Intermediate trading below $70 and Brent falling below $74.

·     Fears of a U.S. debt default are the major economic factor pulling oil prices lower, with Congress locked in negotiations.

·     Global uneven reopening is only adding to bearish sentiment, with traders looking out for demand revisions in this month's IEA report.

Crude oil started trade this week with a decline, based on Asian trade data from earlier in the day, as traders’ worry about the state of the global economy trumped any expectations of tight supply.

At the time of writing Brent was trading at below $74 per barrel and West Texas Intermediate had slipped below $70 per barrel as fears of a possible U.S. debt default continue to run high while Congress remains locked in negotiations over the debt ceiling.

Legislators need to agree on a higher debt ceiling as soon as possible because the state’s coffers will run out by June 1st, according to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen. This is not the first time Congress is taking its time agreeing to higher debt limits and it is not the first time various officials are sounding the default alarm.

The current debt ceiling of the United States is $31.4 trillion. Democrats and the White House want this raised without any conditions but Republicans insist on some spending cuts in order to agree to the raise.

"With the uneven re-opening in world and concerns that the U.S is facing a growth slowdown at a time when the X-date for the debt ceiling is rapidly approaching, topped off by a rally in the U.S dollar, market sentiment towards crude oil will remain tepid at best," IG analyst Tony Sycamore told Reuters.

“Sentiment in the oil market remains negative with an uncertain demand outlook and concerns over the US debt ceiling,” Warren Patterson, head of commodities strategy for ING Groep, told Bloomberg. “The market will likely be looking out for any potential demand revisions in the IEA’s monthly market report.”

Since the start of the year, oil has lost some 13%, according to Bloomberg, and traders have accumulated the largest short position on the commodity since July 2021.