China's General Administration of Customs released its crude oil imports data on Thursday. China's crude-oil imports rose by 21.6% in March from a year ago to 7.7 million barrels a day.

China's crude imports climbed by 13.4% to 91.1 million tons in the first quarter of 2016 compared to a year ago.

China's imports of gasoline plunged by 83.73% in March, while exports of gasoline jumped by 9.09%.

Oil futures fell moderately, departing from five-month high, driven by the strengthening of the dollar in response to labor market data and statements of the ECB Draghi.

According to experts, lower prices - a sign that the market has reached unsustainable high after recent gains, and that traders are going to take profits amid signs of weakness.

During the press conference after the announcement of the decision on the rate Draghi said that interest rates will remain unchanged or will be reduced for a longer time. Such statements suggest that the Central Bank may resort to further easing of monetary policy. Meanwhile, Draghi said that the Central Bank will continue to closely monitor the situation with inflation and, if necessary, will use all available instruments in the framework of the mandate to achieve the inflation target. "Under the available tools meant a change of key interest rates, but the rates on deposits, which are already negative, can not be reduced indefinitely." - Said Draghi.

Meanwhile, a report from the Labor Department showed that the number of initial applications for unemployment benefits dropped fell on 6000 and reached a seasonally adjusted 247,000 in the week ended April 16. It was the low level of applications for unemployment benefits, since the week ending November 24, 1973. Data last week also noted the 59th week in a row, when the primary applications for unemployment benefits remained below 300 000. Economists had expected 263,000 initial claims last week. Data last week have not been revised (253,000). The moving average of four weeks, which smooths out volatility, fell by 4,500 last week to 260 500. Fed policy is likely to take into account the relative health of the labor market at a meeting next week. Nevertheless, central banks have shown that they are concerned about the weakness in the global economy and a close look at the evidence of inflation and salary increases. The vast majority of economists expect that during the April meeting the Fed will leave its key interest rate unchanged.

Little support for oil provided comments from the oil industry. Today, the executive director of the International Energy Agency (IEA), Fatih Birol said that the IEA in 2016 expects the highest in 25 years, a reduction of oil supplies from countries outside OPEC. "This year we expect the largest in the last 25 years, the decline in the country's oil supply outside OPEC to nearly 700 thousand barrels per day." - Said Birol. He also noted that the growth in global demand, where the leaders are now China, India and other developing countries, currently has a "hectic pace."

WTI for delivery in June fell to $43.66 a barrel. Brent for June fell to $45.08 a barrel.

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) Secretary-General Abdallah Salem el-Badri and Ibrahim Muhanna, a top adviser in the Saudi Arabian oil ministry, said on Thursday that OPEC and non-OPEC countries could discuss the freeze of the oil output in June.

el-Badri also said that the oil market would balance by 2017.

The price of gold has increased significantly today, updating the April high, which was associated with the expectations of the outcome of the ECB meeting. However, against the background of the scale of price increases, investors began to record profits, which caused a drop in the level of gold before the opening of the session.

Recall, the ECB did not change its key interest rate on loans, leaving it at zero. The regulator also kept at the level of -0.4% per annum interest on deposits, the rate on margin loans - at a level of 0.25% per annum. The volume of the program of quantitative easing (QE) also remained unchanged - in the amount of 80 billion euros a month.. Meanwhile, at a press conference ECB President Draghi said that inflation in the euro zone may again enter into negative territory in the coming months, but in the second half of the year the prices will start to rise. "Based on current energy prices, inflation could once again be negative in the coming months, before starting to rise in the second half of 2016. Then, supported by our measures in the area of ​​monetary policy and the expected recovery of the economy, inflation should continue to rebound in 2017 and 2018 years ", - said Draghi. Also the head of the ECB said that the Central Bank is still ready to use all available tools, including a further reduction of interest rates to achieve the inflation target.

"The Governing Council will continue to closely monitor the development of prospects for price stability and, if necessary, will use all available instruments in the framework of the mandate to achieve the inflation target," - said Draghi.

It also became known that the assets of the world's largest gold exchange-traded fund SPDR Gold Trust fell by 14 tonnes since the beginning of the week.

Meanwhile, data from the Bureau of Customs in Switzerland have shown that the country has reduced the export of gold in March due to lower deliveries to India and Hong Kong, but dramatically increased the supply of the metal in the UK.

The cost of the June gold futures on the COMEX today fell to $ 1251.6 per ounce.

The U.S. Labor Department released its jobless claims figures on Thursday. The number of initial jobless claims in the week ending April 16 in the U.S. decreased by 6,000 to 247,000 from 253,000 in the previous week. It was the lowest level since the week of November 24, 1973.

Analysts had expected jobless claims to rise to 263,000.

Jobless claims remained below 300,000 the 59th straight week. This threshold is associated with the strengthening of the labour market.

Continuing jobless claims decreased by 39,000 to 2,137,000 in the week ended April 09. It was the lowest level since November 2000.

The Chinese government plans to boost the foreign trade.

"Foreign trade is an important part of the national economy," a State Council said in a statement after the meeting with China's Premier Li Keqiang.

Banks should encourage to lend to profitable foreign trade companies, a State Council noted.

(raw materials / closing price /% change)

Oil 43.97 -0.48%

Gold 1,245.80 -0.69%