Brent Rises Further
Brent crude oil futures added over 4% to above $70 per barrel on Wednesday, rebounding from a 1.9% decline in the previous session as tightening supply and firmer Asian demand squeezed the physical market despite mixed signals on future output. The latest monthly report from the International Energy Agency showed winter outages and export constraints cutting global supply by roughly 1.2 million barrels per day in January. At the same time, stronger intake from China and India absorbed additional barrels, narrowing available export flows. Renewed geopolitical friction in the Middle East, including disruption risks around the Strait of Hormuz, added a tangible premium to prices by threatening a key transit route for seaborne crude. On the other hand, OPEC+ is considering a gradual output increase from April, while tentative steps toward restoring Venezuelan exports are unlikely to deliver immediate volumes due to licensing and logistical constraints.