SULAIMANI (ESTA) — Oil prices rose on Friday, set for their sixth weekly gain, amid concerns of tight supplies as major producers continue their policy of limited output increases amid rising fuel demand.
Brent crude futures climbed 53 cents to $89.87 a barrel at 0739 GMT, after falling 62 cents during the previous day. However, prices did reach $91.04 earlier in that session, the highest since October 2014.
U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures rose 55 cents to $87.17 a barrel, having declined 74 cents on Thursday. WTI also reached a seven-year high of $88.54 earlier in the session.
“Where Brent crosses $90 level, we see some selling from a sense of accomplishment, but investors start buying again when the prices fall a little as they remain cautious about possible supply disruptions due to rising geopolitical tensions,” Reuters cited Tatsufumi Okoshi, senior economist at Nomura Securities, as saying.
“The market expects supply will stay tight as the OPEC+ is seen to keep the existing policy of gradual increase in production,” he said
The market is focusing on a Feb. 2 meeting of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and allies led by Russia, a group known as OPEC+.
OPEC+ is likely to stick with a planned rise in its oil output target for March, several sources in the group told Reuters.
