油价跌至8月以来最低点

据路透社9月3日报道，格林尼治标准时间08：45，布伦特原油期货LCOc1下跌79美分，至每桶43.64美元，跌幅为1.8%。美国西德克萨斯中质原油期货CLc1下跌67美分，至每桶40.84美元，跌幅为1.6%。周三，这两个基准指数都下跌了2%以上。

美国能源信息署(EIA)周三公布的数据显示，上周美国汽油需求从一周前的916万桶/天下降至878万桶/天，其他石油产品的消费量也有所下降。

石油经纪公司PVM的Tamas Varga表示："最新数据可能吸引了多头投资者的注意，但美国股市收盘再创新高也无法改变市场走势。"

其他数据，如美国8月私人雇主招聘人数连续第二个月低于预期，也加剧了对经济复苏滞后的担忧。然而，伊拉克否认其寻求豁免明年第一季度的欧佩克减产配额，这为石油市场提供了一些支撑。该国表示，根据欧佩克+协议，可能寻求将欧佩克+协议下额外减产期限延长两个月，至11月底。

分析师警告称，即将到来的炼油厂维护集中期和夏季出行季节的结束也将限制原油需求。

澳新银行研究(ANZ Research)周四在一份报告中称，WTI原油面临压力，因为美国炼油厂指定了一长串将在未来数月停产进行维护的项目清单，这无疑将对原油需求造成巨大影响。

EIA称，由于劳拉飓风来临前的停工，美国炼油厂的开工率下降了5.3%，至76.7%。

AxiCorp市场策略师Stephen Innes称："这些因素表明，随着9月份的到来，炼油厂营运量将出现季节性下滑，石油库存水平将上升。"

王佳晶 摘译自 路透社

原文如下：

Oil prices extended losses on Thursday, falling to their lowest point since early August, as worries about weaker U.S. gasoline demand and a sluggish economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic dented sentiment.

Brent crude LCOc1 fell 79 cents, or 1.8%, to $43.64 a barrel by 0845 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude CLc1 futures were down 67 cents, or 1.6%, at $40.84 a barrel.

Both benchmarks fell more than 2% on Wednesday.

U.S. gasoline demand last week fell to 8.78 million barrels per day (bpd) from 9.16 million bpd a week earlier, Energy Information Administration (EIA) data showed on Wednesday, with consumption of other oil products also falling. [EIA/S]

“It is the latest data set that possibly caught the eye of those who ran long positions, and not even another record close in the U.S. stock market was able to change the direction of the herd,” Tamas Varga of oil brokerage PVM said.

Other data, such as U.S. private employers hiring fewer workers than expected for a second straight month in August, also fed fears that economic recovery was lagging.

Oil markets, however, drew some support from Iraq’s denial it was seeking exemption from OPEC+ oil cuts during the first quarter of next year.

OPEC’s second largest producer also said it may seek to extend by two months until the end of November the period for making additional compensation cuts under the OPEC+ deal.

Analysts warn that the upcoming refinery maintenance and the end of the summer driving season would also limit crude demand.

WTI crude has come under pressure “after U.S. refiners earmarked a long list of maintenance closures over the coming months that will no doubt impact demand for crude oil”, ANZ Research said in a note on Thursday.

Due to shutdowns ahead of Hurricane Laura, U.S. refinery utilization rates fell by 5.3 percentage points to 76.7% of total capacity, the EIA said.

“These factors suggest a seasonal drop-off in refinery runs and higher oil inventory levels as we advance through September,” AxiCorp market strategist Stephen Innes said.