Mixed government inventory reports caused a drop in energy futures Wednesday, and an announcement by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) did little to change the situation. OPEC decided to leave production levels steady at its meeting in Abu Dhabi, but investors shrugged off OPEC’s decision, according to the Associated Press. The Energy Department’s Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported a larger than expected decline in crude supplies and increases in heating oil and gasoline inventories.
“OPEC’s not adding production in the market was expected,” Eric Wittenauer, energy analyst at AG Edwards, says. He called the market oversold in the near term and said he remains bearish on the market overall.
According to the Associated Press, light, sweet crude for January delivery fell 83 cents to settle at $87.49 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange, oil’s lowest close since Oct. 24. Prices drifted lower in after-hours trading, dipping below $87, the AP said.
Tags: energy, Energy Information Administration, Nymex, oil, OPEC
