Oil eases as investors remain cautious on recession fears

TOKYO (Reuters) – Oil prices eased in early trading on Thursday after rising for the previous two sessions as investors remained cautious due to lingering concerns over a U.S. recession and weaker oil demand.

东京（路透社）——由于投资者对美国经济衰退和石油需求疲软的担忧挥之不去，油价在前两个交易日上涨后周四早盘有所回落。

Brent crude fell 19 cents, or 0.2%, at $87.14 a barrel by 0116 GMT, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate slid 16 cents, or 0.2%, to $83.10.

格林威治标准时间 0116 布伦特原油下跌 19 美分或 0.2% 至每桶 87.14 美元，而美国西德克萨斯中质原油下跌 16 美分或 0.2% 至 83.10 美元。

Both benchmarks rose 2% on Wednesday to their highest in more than a month as cooling U.S. inflation data spurred hopes that the Federal Reserve is likely to stop hiking interest rates.

由于美国通胀数据降温激发了人们对美联储可能停止加息的希望，这两个基准指数周三均上涨 2% 至一个多月以来的最高水平。

However, the previous tightening, which has lifted interest rates to their highest since 2007, is increasing concerns that the Fed‘s focus on halting inflation may end up throttling economic growth and future oil demand in the world’s biggest oil user.

然而，此前的紧缩政策已将利率提高至 2007 年以来的最高水平，这加剧了人们对美联储对遏制通胀的关注可能最终会抑制全球最大石油消费国的经济增长和未来石油需求的担忧。

“The rally has ended due to worries that a possible U.S. recession will weaken crude oil demand,” said Toshitaka Tazawa, an analyst at Fujitomi Securities Co Ltd.

富士通证券分析师 toshitaka tazawa 表示：“由于担心美国经济可能陷入衰退将削弱原油需求，涨势已经结束。”

“WTI rose above $83 a barrel, near its highest technical cap since last December, which also prompted a sense of caution among investors,” he added.

“wti 油价升至每桶 83 美元上方，接近去年 12 月以来的最高技术上限，这也促使投资者产生谨慎情绪，”他补充道。

The U.S. Consumer Price Index (CPI) climbed 0.1% last month, below economists expectations for a 0.2% gain, and down from a 0.4% increase in February, raising expectations that the Fed is likely to stop hiking rates after a possible increase in May.

美国消费者物价指数（cpi）上月攀升 0.1%，低于经济学家预期的 0.2% 涨幅，低于 2 月份 0.4% 的增幅，引发市场对美联储可能在 5 月加息后停止加息的预期.

However, the Feds staff assessing the potential fallout of banking stress projected a “mild recession” later this year.

然而，评估银行业压力潜在影响的美联储工作人员预计今年晚些时候将出现“温和衰退”。

Markets on Wednesday shrugged off a small build in U.S. crude oil stocks, attributing it in part to a congressionally mandated release of oil from the U.S. emergency reserve and lower exports at the start of the month.

周三市场对美国原油库存的小幅增加不以为然，将其部分归因于国会授权从美国紧急储备中释放石油以及本月初出口下降。

Crude inventories rose by 597,000 barrels in the last week, the Energy Information Administration said on Wednesday, compared with analysts expectations in a Reuters poll for a 600,000-barrel drop. Gasoline and distillate stocks drew less-than-expected.

美国能源信息署周三表示，上周原油库存增加了 597,000 桶，而路透社调查的分析师预期为减少 600,000 桶。汽油和馏分油库存低于预期。

The Biden administration plans to refill the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve soon, and hopes to refill it at lower oil prices if its advantageous to taxpayers during the rest of the year, U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said on Wednesday.

美国能源部长詹妮弗格兰霍姆周三表示，拜登政府计划尽快补充美国战略石油储备，并希望在今年余下时间以对纳税人有利的情况下以较低的油价补充。

Still, the oil market was jolted higher two weeks ago after the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and allies such as Russia agreed to curtail output.

尽管如此，石油输出国组织 (opec) 和俄罗斯等盟友同意减产后，两周前石油市场仍处于震荡之中。

As a result, the global oil market could see tightness in the second half of 2023, which would push prices higher, Fatih Birol, executive director of the International Energy Agency, said on Wednesday.

国际能源署执行董事法提赫比罗尔周三表示，因此，全球石油市场可能会在 2023 年下半年出现吃紧，这将推高价格。

(Reporting by Yuka Obayashi; Editing by Christian Schmollinger)

（yuka obayashi 报道；christian schmollinger 编辑）