Pakistanis angry over detentions in Times Sq. case Monday, May 24, 2010
ISLAMABAD – Relatives of three men detained by Pakistan for alleged links to the suspect in the attempted Times Square bombing say the men are innocent.
They
AFP - Thursday, August 6TAIPEI (AFP) - - Taiwan's Beijing-friendly government on Wednesday denied boycotting an Australian film festival amid a row over the e
BERLIN (Reuters) - Chancellor Angela Merkel suffered a double blow on Thursday as a senior party ally in east German
Minister seeks closure of anti-Berlusconi websites Wednesday, December 16, 2009
ROME (AFP) - – The Italian government moved Tuesday to close down Internet sites encouraging further violence against Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who
By ELAINE KURTENBACH,AP Business Writer AP - Wednesday, March 18SHANGHAI - Asia's stock market rally seemed to be running out of steam Wednesday, despite an
Navigation
Primary Navigation
Home
Singapore
Asia Pacific
World
Business
Entertainment
Sports
Technology
Top Stories
Most Popular
Secondary Navigation
Australia
China
India
Indonesia
Japan
Malaysia
Philippines
Thailand
Vietnam
Search
Search:
Slight fall for oil in quiet Asian trade
AFP - 2 hours 37 minutes ago
SINGAPORE, Nov 28, 2008 (AFP) - Oil prices fell slightly in quiet Asian trade on Friday, the day before an OPEC cartel meeting which has given traders hope that plunging crude prices may be nearing the bottom, analysts said.
New York's main futures contract, light sweet crude for January delivery, eased 89 cents to 53.55 dollars a barrel from its close of 54.44 dollars Wednesday in New York.
US markets were closed on Thursday for the Thanksgiving holiday.
"It's just quiet," said Tony Nunan, of Mitsubishi Corp's international petroleum business in Tokyo. "A lot of the traders are out of the market."
Brent North Sea crude for January delivery fell 48 cents to 52.65 dollars.
The Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) has watched oil prices collapse from record highs above 147 dollars in July, sparking serious concern among its members about plunging revenues.
"Demand is falling like a stone because of the poor economy," Nunan said.
OPEC ministers agreed last month to reduce production by 1.5 million barrels a day but the market only crumbled further.
Prices last week fell below 50 dollars to levels unseen since early 2005 on growing concern that a global recession could ravage demand for energy, traders said.
The OPEC cartel, which pumps about 40 percent of the world's oil, is to meet in Cairo on Saturday but the group's president, Chakib Khelil, has downplayed the idea of an output cut being announced in the Egyptian capital.
Nunan said that if output is not reduced in Cairo, a decision could be made at another OPEC meeting set for December 17.
"It's causing people to think that we're probably close to a floor" in prices, he said.
Oil market analyst Torbjorn Kjus, of Norway's largest financial services group DnB NOR, said OPEC probably needs to initiate further quota cuts of 1.0-1.5 million barrels a day before year-end to protect prices.
Nunan said the cuts would probably need months to take effect.
"I think in the end Saudi will make the necessary cuts but they're probably going to do it in a low-key fashion," Nunan said, referring to OPEC's largest producer Saudi Arabia.
burs-it/mc
Email Story
IM Story
Printable View
Blog This
Recommend this article
Average (0 votes)
Sign in to recommend this article »
Most Recommended Stories »
Related Articles: Oil Price Hike
Oil falls below $54 in Asia ahead of OPEC meetingAP - 32 minutes ago
Slight fall for oil in quiet Asian tradeAFP - 2 hours 38 minutes ago
Emirates president downplays oil price concernsAP - Thursday, November 27
Report: Russia may work with OPEC on output cutAP - Wednesday, November 26
Related Articles: Asia Pacific
Army official: Mumbai operations almost overAP - 18 minutes ago
Pakistan, India ties chill after attacksAP - 22 minutes ago
StanChart says 2 Asia consumer bank execs to leaveReuters - 28 minutes ago
Thai Muslims caught up in political standoffAP - 50 minutes ago
SKorean train makes last trip to NorthAP - 1 hour 1 minute ago
Related Full Coverage
oil price hike
oil price hike
All Full Coverage
Most Popular – Asia Pacific
Viewed
US clears Bank of America deal for Merrill Lynch
US president's mother 'doing very well' in hospital: Laura Bush
Love handles increase death risk: study
Obama vows 'help is on the way' for the economy
Michael Jackson strikes 'amicable' deal with Arab sheikh
View Complete List »
Search:
Home
Singapore
Asia Pacific
World
Business
Entertainment
Sports
Technology
Top Stories
Most Popular