Commodities

Oil Holds Near November Lows as Traders Brace for Crude Glut

  • US currency rallies to a one-year high, pressuring commodities
  • Narrower timespreads point to less-tight physical conditions

est Texas Intermediate traded near $68 a barrel after falling by more than 3% on Monday.

Photographer: Matthew Busch/Bloomberg
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Oil held near November lows, settling near $68 a barrel, as increasingly bearish fundamentals capped the session’s gain.

In the physical market, a key supply gauge suggests a glut is coming sooner than expected, while timespreads in the futures market are flashing signs of oversupply. Also weighing on oil: OPEC cut its demand growth forecasts for a fourth consecutive month and the dollar hit a one-year high, making commodities priced in the currency less attractive.