By Arathy Somasekhar
(Reuters) -Oil prices held steady on Wednesday as a large, surprise build in U.S. gasoline stocks offset easing supply concerns from a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hezbollah.
Brent crude futures rose 2 cents to $72.83 a barrel by 11:43 a.m. ET (1643 GMT). U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude climbed 4 cents to $68.82.
U.S. gasoline stocks rose by 3.3 million barrels in the week to 212.2 million barrels, the Energy Information Administration said, compared with analysts’ expectations in a Reuters poll for a 46,000-barrel draw.
Crude stocks fell by 1.8 million barrels in the week ended Nov. 22, the EIA added, compared with analysts’ expectations in a Reuters poll for a 605,000-barrel draw.
Market sources, citing the American Petroleum Institute, had said on Tuesday that oil inventories fell by 5.94 million barrels and fuel inventories rose last week.
“It is surprising to see gasoline inventories building so much and implied demand not really budging week-on-week, given expected record travel this Thanksgiving,” said Kpler analyst Matt Smith.
On Tuesday, both benchmarks had settled lower after Israel agreed to a ceasefire deal with Lebanon’s Hezbollah, effective Wednesday after both sides accepted the agreement brokered by the U.S. and France.
A ceasefire between Israel and Lebanese armed group Hezbollah held on Wednesday after the two sides struck the deal, a rare feat of diplomacy in the Middle East, wracked by two wars and several proxy conflicts for over a year.
“The real question will be for how long it (the ceasefire) will truly be honoured,” said Dennis Kissler, senior vice president of trading at BOK Financial.
Supporting prices, sources from the OPEC+ group comprising the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies led by Russia have said the producer group is discussing a further delay to the oil output increase set for January.
The group, which produces about half the world’s oil, had aimed to gradually ease production cuts through 2024 and 2025, but weaker global demand and rising output outside OPEC+ have cast doubt on that plan. The decision will be made at the Dec. 1 meeting.
Heads of commodities research at Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley said oil prices are undervalued, citing a market deficit and risk to Iranian supply from possible sanctions under U.S. President-elect Donald Trump.
“With the President-Elect Trump’s sanctions soon to come, many think Iran will be targeted, which could slow their exports substantially,” BOK’s Kissler said.
Trump said he would impose a 25% tariff on all products coming into the U.S. from Mexico and Canada. Crude oil would not be exempt from the trade penalties, sources told Reuters on Tuesday.
Oil industry analysts and traders warned the move would likely raise oil prices for U.S. refiners, squeezing margins and driving up the cost of fuel.
“We expect WTI to trade within the range of $65-$70 a barrel, factoring in weather conditions during the Northern Hemisphere’s winter, a potential increase in shale oil and gas production under the incoming Donald Trump administration in the U.S. and demand trends in China,” said Hiroyuki Kikukawa, president of NS Trading, part of Nissan Securities.
(Reporting by Arunima Kumar in Bengaluru, Yuka Obayashi in Tokyo and Emily Chow in Singapore; editing by David Goodman, Jason Neely, Jonathan Oatis and David Gregorio)
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