The biggest weekly drop in US crude inventories this year left Gulf coast stocks at their lowest since January, sending crude prices close to highs for this year. US benchmark WTI reached its second-highest price of this year on 20 August at $72.54/bl, up by more than $2/bl from a week earlier and just 14￠/bl below its 11 June peak. Gains for Atlantic basin marker North Sea Dated were modest at 11￠/bl, leading to a fall in its premium to WTI by almost $2/bl. But North Sea Dated still posted its third-highest close of this year at $73.90/bl on 20 August.
展开▼
