Oil prices slip over demand fears amid escalating US-China trade row

However, crude finds support from expectations of more Opec production cuts

Ades International Holding, an oil and gas drilling and production services provider reported a 176 per cent rise in the first half revenue. Reuters

Oil prices fell on Friday amid fears over demand as the US-China trade row casts its shadow over markets, although prices got some support from expectations of more Opec production cuts.

International benchmark Brent crude futures were at $57.20 a barrel, down 0.3 per cent from their previous settlement.

US West Texas Intermediate futures were at $52.45 per barrel, down 0.2 per cent from their last close. WTI is a grade of crude oil used as a benchmark in oil pricing.

Both contracts jumped more than 2 per cent on Thursday to recover from January lows, buoyed by reports that Saudi Arabia, the world's biggest oil exporter, had called other producers to discuss the recent slide in crude prices.

Oil prices have still lost more than 20 per cent from peaks reached in April, putting them in bear territory.

Global financial markets have been rocked over the past week after US President Donald Trump said he would impose 10 per cent tariffs on more Chinese goods starting September and as a fall in the Chinese yuan sparked fears of a currency war.

“The tentative oil rebound could be short-lived as the US-China trade dispute is providing no real reasons to be optimistic," said Edward Moya, senior market analyst at New York-headquartered Oanda, which provides currency solutions to corporate clients.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia, plans to maintain its crude oil exports below 7 million barrels per day in August and September to bring the market back to balance and help absorb global oil inventories, a Saudi oil official said.

"Saudi's production in September will also be lower than it is currently. This helped crude oil rebound from its lowest level since January,” ANZ bank said in a note.

The UAE also will continue to support actions to balance the oil market, the country's energy minister Suhail Al Mazrouei said in a tweet on Thursday.

The minister said the Opec and non-Opec ministerial monitoring committee would meet in Abu Dhabi on September 12 to review the oil market.

Opec and its allies including Russia agreed in July to extend their supply cuts until March 2020 to boost oil prices.