LONDON (Reuters) – Oil prices were steady on Thursday, as optimism over recovering Chinese demand was offset by U.S. oil inventories hitting their highest in months and signs the U.S. Federal Reserve could keep raising interest rates.
Brent crude futures gained 30 cents to $85.39 a barrel by 0856 GMT, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures inched up 26 cents to $78.73 a barrel. Both benchmarks have gained around 7% so far this week.
“Relentlessly rising U.S. commercial inventories and potentially entrenched inflation limit any immediate upside potential,” said PVM analyst Tamas Varga.
He said recovering Chinese demand and falling inflation were set to support oil prices in the second half of the year.
