SlavkoSereda/iStock via Getty Images Crude oil finished its biggest weekly decline since early April, with prices sliding near their lowest levels in six months on signs that a global economic slowdown is weighing on demand. Front-month WTI crude oil (CL1:COM) for September delivery fell 9.7% for the week to $89.01/bbl, dropping six out of the previous eight weeks, and October Brent crude (CO1:COM) closed down 8.7% to $94.92/bbl; also, front-month Nymex RBOB gasoline futures (XB1:COM) slumped 8.3% to $2.8556/gal this week. While oil prices fell, energy equities posted their poorest showing since mid-June, with the S&P 500 Energy Index declining 6.8% for the week. ETFs: (NYSEARCA:XLE), (NYSEARCA:USO), (UGA) "Traders are becoming much less concerned with the supply issues related to the Russia-Ukraine war and instead are beginning to watch demand metrics deteriorate amid a considerable uptick in recession calls," according to Sevens Report Research. Gasoline demand in the U.S. is now 9% below year-ago levels and even lower than the pandemic summer 2020, so "it is clear that prices above $100/bbl are not sustainable," Sevens said. Recession fears intensified Thursday as the Bank of England raised interest rates by 50 basis points, the most since 1995, and warned of a lengthy recession in the U.K. OPEC's latest meeting barely created a ripple when the group agreed this week to raise its oil production goal by 100K bbl/day in September, one of its smallest-ever increases. But crude bounced off their lows Friday after data showed the U.S. economy added 528K jobs in July, more than double the consensus estimate. Top 5 gainers in energy and natural resources during the past 5 days: (CGRN) +35.4%, (TUSK) +33.3%, (PEGY) +31.9%, (STEM) +27.5%, (CLMT) +27.4%. Top 5 decliners in energy and natural resources during the past 5 days: (NR) -27.5%, (LPI) -24.6%, (EGY) -21.4%, (TGA) -20.2%, (CPE) -18.5%. Source: Barchart.com
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