LONDON (Reuters) -Oil prices edged higher on Monday as investors assessed a trade deal between the United States and the European Union, while a stronger US dollar and lower oil imports by India weighed on prices.
Brent crude futures were up 30 cents, or 0.4%, to $68.74 a barrel by 0813 GMT, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude stood at $65.43 a barrel, up 27 cents, or 0.4%.
The U.S.-European Union trade deal and a possible extension in the U.S.-China tariff pause are supporting global financial markets and oil prices, IG markets analyst Tony Sycamore said.
Sunday’s U.S.-EU framework trade pact sets an import tariff of 15% on most EU goods, while U.S. President Trump said the deal calls for $750 billion of EU purchases of U.S. energy in coming years.
Senior U.S. and Chinese officials will meet in Stockholm on Monday, aiming to extend a tariff truce before an August 12 deadline.
Oil pared most of its gains on Monday after Brent futures rose above $69 a barrel earlier in the day.
Oil retreated from those levels as focus shifted to a stronger US dollar and lower oil imports by India, following the removal of another uncertainty with the US-EU deal, PVM analyst Tamas Varga said.
On the supply side, an OPEC panel is unlikely to alter existing plans to raise oil output when it meets on Monday, four OPEC delegates told Reuters on July 25.
ING expects OPEC will at least complete the full return of 2.2 million barrels per day of the additional voluntary supply cuts by the end of September.
Also on the supply side, Venezuela’s state-run oil company PDVSA is readying to resume work, once Trump reinstates authorisations for its partners to operate and export oil under swaps, company sources said.
In the Middle East, Yemen’s Houthis said on Sunday they would target ships of companies that do business with Israeli ports, regardless of nationality, in what they called a fourth phase of military operations against Israel over the Gaza conflict.
(Reporting by Enes Tunagur in London, Florence Tan in Singapore and Sam Li in Beijing; Editing by Clarence Fernandez, Jacqueline Wong and Giles Elgood)
