Widespread protests in China over Beijing’s zero-COVID policy and uncertainty over Chinese oil demand is obviously affecting global energy markets.
Yesterday, energy stocks broke with a recent divergence that had seen them trending higher despite falling oil prices, shedding nearly 2% at trading. This is much as crude oil prices yesterday reportedly tested the lowest levels of the year.
While energy stocks had been defying falling oil prices for the first time since 2006, that divergence now appears to be dissipating, the report said.
As of 12:53 EST on Monday, Exxon (NYSE:XOM) was trading down 1.96%, while Chevron (NYSE:CVX) was down 1.61%. Diamondback Energy (NASDAQ:FANG) was down nearly 3%, as was EOG Resources (NYSE:EOG).
Goldman Sachs, which a week ago shaved $10 off its oil price forecast for 2023, putting it at $100, said on Monday, “we do believe that oil markets will need to stabilize in order of the equities to continue to perform”, the Wall Street Journal reported.
Goldman has remained bullish on oil throughout the year, noting in its 2023 outlook that “We are tactically cautious, structurally bullish”.
On Monday at 1:06 p.m. EST, Brent crude was trading down 0.29%, at $83.42, while WTI was trading up 1.28%, at $77.26 per barrel.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average shed over a percentage point on Monday as well, as did the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq Composite. The market is responding to protests in China that have gone as far as to call for Xi Jingping to step down and back-and-forth analysis over the potential for Beijing to ease its zero-COVID policy and work towards economic reopening.
“The negative headlines from abroad are putting pressure on domestic markets,” Charlie Ripley, vice president of portfolio management at Allianz Investment Management, told CNBC. “I anticipate we’ll have more volatility and more activity in the markets as we go through the rest of the week, looking at the economic calendar.”
Anayo Bosco with agency
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