Oil prices extend the overnight rally further recovering from recent lows. Brent Crude added +3.46%, currently trading at USD58.53 a barrel. On January 13th Crude hit a low at USD45.19 and began to rise on reports on declining rig numbers in the U.S. and capital expenditure cuts. West Texas Intermediate rose by +3.61% currently quoted at USD52.30.
Worldwide supply still exceeds demand in a period of low global economic growth and the OPEC refusing to cut output rates to stabilize prices. Smaller OPEC members want to cut production but the organisation, responsible for 40% of worldwide production focuses on its fight for market share. Rising U.S. stockpiles are contributing to a global glut that drove prices almost 50 percent lower last year. Supply will exceed demand by 2 million barrels a day in the first half of 2015, said Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh.