疫情引发需求担忧 美元走强油价下跌

    中国石化新闻网讯 据路透社1月28日报道，随着为防止新冠肺炎疫情蔓延而实施的出行限制措施的实施，引发了市场对燃料需求的担忧，加上美元走强对价格构成了压力，周四油价下跌。

    美国西德克萨斯中质原油期货价格下跌36美分，即0.7%，至52.49美元/桶，抵消了周三的涨幅。布伦特原油期货价格下跌46美分，至每桶55.35美元，跌幅为0.8%，周三下跌了10美分。

    衡量美元兑其他主要货币汇率的美元指数从1月低点89.206升至90.753。要知道，当美元升值时，使用其他货币的买家必须为美元计价的石油支付更高的价格。

    本周早些时候，原油市场受到1月22日当周美国原油库存意外大幅下降的支撑。分析师表示，这是由于美国原油出口的回升和进口的下降。但随着新变种的新冠肺炎病例增多、欧洲疫苗推广速度放缓，以及各国出台限制措施减少人们的出行，市场将注意力又放回到了对需求的担忧上。

    Axi首席全球市场策略师Stephen Innes表示:“由于疫苗推出缓慢，我们之前担忧第一季度的需求减少，现在还要担心第二季度将出现更大的需求危机。特别是在欧洲地区，缓慢的疫苗推广速度和长期的封锁带来了双重挑战。”

    欧盟更严格的疫苗检查，以及阿斯利康(AstraZeneca)和辉瑞(Pfizer)供货受阻，延缓了疫苗在欧盟的推广。

    英国自1月4日开始封锁，周三开始限制旅行，要求来自疫情高风险国家的人隔离10天，除特殊原因外，禁止出境。

    由于新冠肺炎疫情的爆发，全球最大石油消费国美国的经济在2020年以1946年以来最快的速度萎缩。澳新银行研究中心(ANZ Research)在一份报告中表示:“随着各国政府更广泛参与努力抗击疫情，经济局势很不明朗。”

    王佳晶 摘译自 路透社

    原文如下：

    Oil falls on COVID-19-induced demand worries, stronger dollar

    Oil fell on Thursday on fresh fuel demand worries because of travel curbs to prevent new coronavirus outbreaks and delays with vaccines and a stronger U.S. dollar weighed on prices.

    U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures fell 36 cents, or 0.7%, to $52.49 a barrel at 0738 GMT, erasing Wednesday’s gain.

    Brent crude futures fell 46 cents, or 0.8%, to $55.35 a barrel, after losing 10 cents on Wednesday.

    The U.S. dollar index, which measures the greenback against other major currencies, rose to 90.753 from a January low of 89.206. Buyers using other currencies must pay more for dollar-denominated oil when the greenback rises.

    The oil market had been supported earlier this week by a surprisingly large decline in U.S. crude stockpiles in the week to Jan. 22, which analysts said was due to a pick up in U.S. crude exports and a drop in imports.

    But attention is now turning back to demand concerns amid a rise in COVID-19 infections with contagious new variants, a slower rollout of vaccines in Europe, and travel curbs in countries such as China.

    “We are moving from just a Q1 demand write off to now pricing in more demand pain in Q2 due to the slow vaccine rollout,” said Stephen Innes, chief global market strategist at Axi.

    “Particularly from Europe where the slow vaccine roll-out and the extended lockdowns point to a double-dip recession.”

    Stricter vaccine checks by the European Union and delivery hold ups from AstraZeneca and Pfizer have slowed the rollout of shots in the bloc.

    Britain, in lockdown since Jan. 4, on Wednesday clamped down on travel, requiring people arriving from high-risk COVID-19 countries to quarantine for 10 days and barring outbound trips for all but exceptional reasons.

    Data out later on Thursday will likely show the economy of the United States, the world’s biggest oil user, contracted in 2020 at its sharpest pace since 1946 because of the COVID-19 outbreak.

    “The economic backdrop remains uncertain as governments struggle to fight off the spread of COVID-19,” ANZ Research said in a note.