Prices rise on Ukraine fears

摘要

Crude prices rose on concerns over the possibility of tougher sanctions on Russia and supply disruptions amid escalating tensions between Moscow and Kiev. Atlantic basin benchmark North Sea Dated rose by $2.73/bl to$109.74/bl in the two weeks to 24 April,but US marker WTI fell by$1.19/bl to$102.21/bl,as domestic stocks rose sharply.WTI came under pressure from a 3.6mn bl build in US crude inventories to nearly 398mn bl in the week to 18 April,amid refinery maintenance and rising pro-duction.National inventories reached their highest since records began.US Gulf coast crude stocks are also at a record high,thanks to new pipeline capacity to bring crude south from Cushing,Oklahoma.But the restart of refineries after maintenance should begin to eat into inventories.