Brent Oil to Fall to $66 Next Year

On Tuesday, news that is poised to draw the international community's attention emerged from the ongoing and tense negotiations regarding a ceasefire in the Gaza StripAccording to a report from the Jerusalem Post, which cited sources close to the discussions, there is a possibility that an agreement encompassing both a ceasefire and a prisoner exchange could be announced on the 14th, granted that no unexpected developments arise at the last minute.

Coinciding with this potentially significant breakthrough in the Middle East, the U.SEnergy Information Administration (EIA) released its Short-Term Energy Outlook encompassing crucial trends in the global energy marketThe report has garnered significant attention due to its projections, particularly regarding oil pricesWith global production outpacing demand, the EIA anticipates that oil prices will face downward pressure in 2025 and 2026, a forecast that aligns closely with perspectives held by many analysts who believe the oil market will remain oversupplied throughout the year.

Reflecting on last year's trends, it was noted that demand growth from the largest oil-consuming nations, including the United States, had significantly slowed down, and this pattern appears to be expected to persist into the current year as well.

On the supply side, the EIA has made several noteworthy predictions

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For 2025, growth in oil production is primarily expected to be led by countries outside of OPEC+, with these nations projected to increase output by as much as 1.6 million barrels per dayHowever, by 2026, this growth is set to decelerate substantially to under 900,000 barrels per dayAs a key player in global oil production, U.S. output estimates have also been revised; the EIA slightly raised its forecast for U.S. oil production this year from 13.52 million barrels per day to 13.55 million barrels per day, achieving a record high.

This upward adjustment not only showcases the growth of the U.S. oil sector but also has implications for global oil supply dynamicsFurthermore, the EIA predicts that average global production of oil and liquid fuels will reach 104.4 million barrels per day in 2025, slightly up from an earlier estimate of 104.2 million barrels per dayWhile the EIA anticipates that OPEC+ will increase its output, it also projects that the production levels will fall short of the latest stated output targetsThis conservative approach from OPEC+ reflects their intent to avoid significant surges in global oil inventories, highlighting a commitment to sustain market stability and ensure balanced global supply and demand.

In terms of demand, the EIA identifies non-OECD nations as the primary drivers of global oil consumption growth, particularly in AsiaIndia emerges as a noteworthy contributor to increasing oil demand, being one of the few regions where demand growth has outpaced pre-pandemic trendsNevertheless, the EIA has revised its average demand forecast for global oil and liquid fuels to be 104.1 million barrels per day, down from an earlier estimate of 104.3 million barrels per day, indicating a sluggish growth trajectory in global oil demand.

Considering these supply and demand dynamics, the EIA projects global inventories to grow by an average of 300,000 barrels per day in 2025 and by 700,000 barrels per day in 2026. The expected rise in inventories is poised to exert downward pressure on oil prices, with the EIA maintaining its Brent crude forecast for 2025 at $74 per barrel—holding steady against previous projections and about an 8% decrease from current levels—while predicting a further dip in Brent prices to $66 per barrel by 2026. However, the energy market is susceptible to various influencing factors, such as geopolitical tensions and global economic growth scenarios, bringing a degree of uncertainty to future price movements