Covid spike in US threatens oil’s remarkable price rally
A spike in U.S. coronavirus cases is threatening the oil market’s recovery from its historic plunge into negative territory.
A spike in U.S. coronavirus cases is threatening the oil market’s recovery from its historic plunge into negative territory.
The challenges of the combination of Covid-19 and the fall in the oil price continue to place enormous stress on the industry. While those offshore have remained at their workplaces, albeit in smaller numbers and under strange and difficult circumstances, in order to maintain production from the UKCS, others who have now spent two months working from home are beginning to consider a return to the office or work site.
In the wake of the historic global economic shutdown in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, governments are unleashing trillions of dollars in a bid to create jobs and spur economic recovery. The scale of this stimulus is unprecedented, in some cases amounting to more than 10% of countries’ gross domestic product. At the same time, an overwhelming number of economists, finance ministers, and business leaders are saying that much of that money needs to help—and certainly not hinder—our ability to cut emissions.
Production cuts may not be enough to rebalance the market now, but they can help its recovery in the second half of 2020 according to Boris Ivanov, Founder and Managing Director of GPB Global Resources.