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SINGAPORE: Oil prices edged up on Tuesday, lifted by supply cuts led by producer club OPEC and US sanctions against Iran and Venezuela, but signs of a sharp economic slowdown and potentially even a recession kept markets from rising further.
Brent crude oil futures were at $67.33 per barrel at 0416 GMT, up 12 cents, or 0.2 percent, from their last close.
US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) futures were at $59.26 per barrel, up 44 cents, or 0.8 percent, from their last settlement.
Oil prices have been supported for much of 2019 by efforts by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and non-affiliated allies like Russia, who have pledged to withhold around 1.2 million barrels per day (bpd) of supply this year to prop up markets.
Prices have also been driven up by US sanctions on oil exporters and OPEC-members Iran and Venezuela.
Yet analysts said oil prices would likely be higher by now if it wasn’t for a spreading economic slowdown that some say could turn into a recession soon and dent fuel consumption.
“Recession risks have risen to the highest since 2008,” said Ole Hansen, head of commodity strategy at Saxo Bank.
Manufacturing data from Asia, Europe and North America is pointing to a sharp economic slowdown.
“Global factory output growth slowed to a 1 percent rate last quarter, and indicators point to a near stall this quarter,” said JPMorgan Chase Bank.
“Outside China, Asian industry was already contracting as we turned into the New Year,” the US bank added.