LONDON (Reuters) – Oil prices steadied on Thursday after the International Energy Agency raised its oil demand growth forecast for this year as soaring gas prices drive some consumers to switch to oil.
Brent crude futures slipped 7 cents, or 0.1%, to $97.33 a barrel by 0829 GMT, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures eased 9 cents, or 0.1%, to $91.84.
“Natural gas and electricity prices have soared to new records, incentivising gas-to-oil switching in some countries,” the Paris-based agency said in its monthly oil report, in which it raised its outlook for 2022 demand by 380,000 barrels per day (bpd).
