Oil Dips in Thin Trading on Soft US Data, Natural Gas Outlook
- US natural gas futures fell by over 5% on low demand forecast
- Beijing gives local officials more leeway to invest with bonds
This article is for subscribers only.
Oil edged lower in light holiday trading on soft US jobs data and a retreat in natural gas futures.
West Texas Intermediate fell 0.7% to settle below $70 a barrel. US natural gas futures fell by more than 5% Thursday, dragging down the energy complex after forecasts pointed to lower-than-anticipated heating demand. Recurring applications for US unemployment benefits rose to the highest in more than three years, halting a rally in broader markets that also weighed on crude. At the same time, low liquidity exacerbated downward price moves, with aggregate trading volumes of WTI crude trending toward yearly lows.