SINGAPORE (APP) – Crude prices dipped further in Asia on Friday due to a strengthening dollar, dampening a rally that saw the commodity hitting 11-month highs earlier in the week.
The losses were in line with a sell-off on equities markets from Asia to the Americas fueled by worries about the state of the global economy.
The greenback was boosted by better than expected US unemployment numbers, making oil more expensive and dampening demand.
Traders, however, expect a fresh boost for oil futures if there are new signs of tightening supplies.
“If the positive developments we are seeing like the tightening supply (and) increasing demand in the oil sector continue to develop for the next couple of months, then maybe the strengthening US dollar might not have that great an impact,” said IG Markets’ analyst Bernard Aw.
At around 0400 GMT, US benchmark West Texas Intermediate was 15 cents, or 0.30 percent, down at $50.41 while Brent North Sea crude was 13 cents, or 0.25 percent, lower at $51.82.
Prices have almost doubled since hitting near 13-year lows at the start of the year as US supplies slowly shrink, while production in Nigeria is hit by rebel unrest and Canada’s key oil region is ravaged by wildfires.
