據路透社9月3日報道，周三，油價下跌超過2%，扭轉了早些時候的上漲趨勢，此前有報告顯示，美國最近一周的汽油需求有所下降。

上周政府數據顯示汽油需求較一周前有所下降，促使交易商對看漲的美國原油庫存數據不以為然，令期貨價格轉跌。

芝加哥Price Futures Group高級分析師Phil Flynn表示："市場試圖將該數據視為與風暴有關的一次性數據。盡管風暴可能夸大了這些數字，但它不能證明拋售是合理的。”

原油庫存USOILC=ECI上周減少940萬桶，至4.984億桶，降幅遠超路透社調查中分析師預估的190萬桶。報告顯示，本周汽油需求從一周前的每日916萬桶降至878萬桶。

全球基準布倫特原油LCOc1下跌1.15美元，收于每桶44.43美元，跌幅為2.5%，此前兩天價格上漲。美國西德克薩斯中質原油期貨結算價下跌1.25美元，至每桶41.51美元，跌幅為2.9%。

其他數據也加劇了對經濟從冠狀病毒疫情中復蘇滯后的擔憂。美國8月私人雇主招聘人數連續第二個月低于預期，表明隨著疫情持續，以及政府支持的乏力，勞動力市場復蘇正在放緩。

油價已從4月觸及的歷史低點反彈，當時布蘭特原油價格跌至16美元下方的21年低點，美國原油期貨盤中收低。所幸，歐佩克+創紀錄的減產支撐了油價。

路透社周二調查發現，隨著需求部分復蘇，且歐佩克+ 8月份將日產量提高約100萬桶，產油國已開始向市場恢復部分削減產量的供應。

王佳晶 摘譯自 路透社

原文如下：

Oil drops 2%, reversing course as U.S. gasoline demand slumps

Oil fell more than 2% on Wednesday, reversing early gains after a report showed gasoline demand fell in the United States in the latest week.

Futures prices turned negative after weekly government data from showed lower gasoline demand from a week earlier, prompting traders to shrug off bullish U.S. crude inventory data. [EIA/S]

“The market is trying to dismiss the number as a storm-related one-off,” said Phil Flynn, senior analyst at Price Futures Group in Chicago. “While the storm may have exaggerated the numbers, it doesn’t justify the amount of the sell-off that we got.”

Crude inventories USOILC=ECI fell by 9.4 million barrels in the last week to 498.4 million barrels, a far steeper dive than the 1.9 million-barrel drop that analysts expected in a Reuters poll. [EIA/S] The data reflects a period during which Hurricane Laura shut output and refining facilities.

Gasoline demand in the week dropped to 8.78 million barrels per day from 9.16 million bpd a week earlier, according to the report.

Brent crude LCOc1, the global benchmark, fell $1.15, or 2.5%, to settle at $44.43 a barrel, after two days of price gains. U.S. West Texas Intermediate CLc1 settled lower by $1.25, or 2.9%, to $41.51 a barrel.

Other data also fed fears that economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic was lagging. U.S. private employers hired fewer workers than expected for a second straight month in August, suggesting the labor market recovery was slowing as the COVID-19 pandemic persists and government support for workers and employers dries up.

Oil has recovered from historic lows hit in April, when Brent slumped to a 21-year low below $16 and U.S. crude ended one session in negative territory.

A record supply cut by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies, a grouping known as OPEC+, has supported prices.

The producers have begun to return some crude to the market as demand partially recovers and OPEC in August raised output by about 1 million barrels per day (bpd), a Reuters survey found on Tuesday.