By Shadia Nasralla
LONDON (Reuters) – Oil prices ticked up on Friday as the market weighed conflicting messages on supply from Russia and Saudi Arabia ahead of the next OPEC+ policy meeting.
Brent crude was up 77 cents, or 1%, at $77.03 a barrel at 1342 GMT, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate rose 96 cents, or 1.3%, to $72.79 a barrel.
Benchmarks had settled more than $2 per barrel lower on Thursday after Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak played down the prospect of further OPEC+ production cuts at its meeting in Vienna on June 4.
Both prices were still poised to post a second week of gains. A deal to raise the U.S. debt ceiling, which appears in sight, would likely boost oil prices.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday that energy prices were approaching “economically justified” levels, also indicating there could be no immediate change to OPEC+’s production policy.
The Russian remarks contrasted with comments this week from Saudi Arabian Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, the de-facto leader of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), warning short sellers to “watch out”.
Some investors interpreted that as a signal OPEC+ could consider further output cuts.
Worries of weaker-than-expected demand growth globally capped gains ahead of an expected rise in oil demand in the second half of the year, especially from China.
Meanwhile, bets on falling oil prices are on the rise.
The dollar has strengthened this month against a basket of major peers, making dollar-denominated commodities such as oil more expensive for those holding other currencies.
(Additional reporting by Arathy Somasekhar and Trixie Yap; Editing by Sharon Singleton and Mark Potter)
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