empty
01.12.2022 11:49 PM
Commodity market encouraged by China easing quarantine measures

This image is no longer relevant

Oil prices entered a bullish correction on Thursday, all thanks to the news that China will finally lift pandemic restrictions and, perhaps, healthy growth in demand for energy resources will resume soon.

At 16:00 (London time) the cost of a Brent oil futures contract for February 2023 delivery on the London ICE stock exchange rose above $89 per barrel. At the same time, the price of a futures contract for WTI crude for January 2023 rose by 2.51% to $82.57 per barrel.

Oil prices grew 3% on Wednesday, which was stimulated by the news that Chinese authorities decided at last to soften the quarantine measures for its citizens in a number of regions. And, importantly for the energy resource, the restrictions should weaken in Beijing, one of the largest consumers of oil in the world. Undoubtedly, the main reason for such shifts in the government's policy was the mass protests of citizens.

As you may recall, on November 27, tens of thousands of Chinese citizens took part in unprecedented protests in major cities, demanding freedom and an end to zero-COVID policies. It is understandable, because if the situation with the virus worsens, entire cities risk being completely isolated.

At the time the protests began, partial lockdowns were in effect in major Chinese cities, including Beijing, Chengdu, and Shanghai (for example, schools in the PRC capital operated remotely), and requirements for testing people for coronavirus were repeatedly strengthened.

And the immediate cause of the protests was the death of ten people, which occurred the day before due to a large fire in the residential sector of the city of Urumqi. Approximately 4 million residents were in one of the most protracted lockdowns in China, forbidden to leave their homes for a hundred days. And when the fire broke out, people were blocked from leaving their homes, people simply could not escape from the smoky room, and fire trucks could not reach far enough to extinguish the fire. And all because of the restriction on movement, which had been installed in the blocks and near residential buildings by the local authorities. This was later confirmed by video clips of eyewitnesses circulating in social networks.

There are numerous protests in China, with the number of people participating in them increasing to 400,000. Apparently, the Chinese government fears that such large-scale protests could undermine the power in the country, so it has already begun to gradually lift the quarantine measures.

At the moment, there are protests in at least 15 cities in China. This poses a serious problem for suppression, because even the involvement of the army here does not lead to a damping of discontent, and in some cases it is even the opposite. In fact, this is what we are seeing today in Wuhan and Guangzhou.

Investors are closely watching the situation and believe that the Chinese government has no choice, it will have to make concessions and abandon its "zero-Covid" policy. There is great hope on the commodity market that Beijing's compliance will lead to a recovery of the Chinese economy and, consequently, an increase in demand for oil.

Another factor that currently supports oil prices is the US dollar's decline. The speech of Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell had a negative impact on the dollar index quotes. Powell confirmed that the central bank is ready to scale back the pace of its interest rate hikes and it may come as soon as the December meeting

By 16:54 London time the USD index was at 105.02, down 0.89% from the previous trading day's levels. As you know, a cheaper dollar makes it more attractive for traders who use other currencies to buy oil futures.

The next important event for the traders is the OPEC+ meeting, which will take place on December 4. Some experts predict that the cartel will decide to further reduce production quotas, which makes sense given the uncertainty about the future state of the global economy.

Andreeva Natalya,
Analytical expert of InstaForex
© 2007-2025
Select timeframe
5
min
15
min
30
min
1
hour
4
hours
1
day
1
week
Earn on cryptocurrency rate changes with InstaForex
Download MetaTrader 4 and open your first trade
  • Grand Choice
    Contest by
    InstaForex
    InstaForex always strives to help you
    fulfill your biggest dreams.
    JOIN CONTEST

Recommended Stories

Trade storm over Asia: Japan, Korea face 25% tariff hit

Japan, South Korea face 25% tariffs by Aug. 1 Australian dollar rises as RBA keeps rates on hold The pan-European STOXX 600 index (.STOXX) was unchanged at 543.22

Thomas Frank 10:52 2025-07-08 UTC+2

Canceled deals, fresh letters – marching toward trade chaos? Trader's calendar for June 7-9

Symbolically, it was on July 4, Independence Day, that Donald Trump signed what he himself called the "Big Beautiful Bill," which, according to the White House, will "fulfill campaign promises."

Svetlana Radchenko 14:07 2025-07-07 UTC+2

US Market News Digest for July 7

Donald Trump approved legislation establishing a new federal debt ceiling at $5 trillion and increasing government spending. The document includes tax cuts and enhanced security measures but has sparked controversy

Ekaterina Kiseleva 13:27 2025-07-07 UTC+2

Who

S&P 500, Nikkei Futures Fall on Trade Turmoil U.S. Marks Aug. 1 as Tariff Deadline for Some Countries Oil Prices Fall as OPEC+ Boosts Output Dollar Rebounds from Recent Four-Year

Thomas Frank 10:40 2025-07-07 UTC+2

S&P, Nasdaq, and Dow climb in sync as markets digest jobs data and trade developments

The S&P 500 rose by 0.83%; the Nasdaq gained 1.02%; the Dow advanced by 0.77%. US job growth exceeded expectations in June. Tripadvisor rallied on Starboard Value's report. Synopsys

13:11 2025-07-04 UTC+2

US Market News Digest for July 4

The S&P 500 and Nasdaq stock indices rose by 0.83% and 1.02%, respectively, hitting new all-time highs. Index futures, however, retreated due to concerns over the potential introduction

Ekaterina Kiseleva 12:45 2025-07-04 UTC+2

S&P, Nasdaq, Dow rally as markets react to jobs, trade policy surprises

S&P 500 up 0.83%; Nasdaq up 1.02%; Dow up 0.77% U.S. job growth beats expectations in June Tripadvisor rises on Starboard Value report, gaining share Synopsys, Cadence rise as U.S

Thomas Frank 08:23 2025-07-04 UTC+2

What could tip USD: NFP, Fed moves, or Big Beautiful Bill?

Wall Street keeps churning out record after record. On Wednesday, the S&P 500 , driven by IT giants, once again set a fresh all-time high. The catalyst was not only

Svetlana Radchenko 13:17 2025-07-03 UTC+2

US Market News Digest for July 3

The S&P 500 index once again reached an all-time high thanks to sustained demand for technology stocks and a positive reaction to the US-Vietnam trade agreement on tariffs. Investors

Ekaterina Kiseleva 12:58 2025-07-03 UTC+2

Stocks Ride: Nasdaq Jumps, S&P Rises, Dow Falls — There's More Behind It

Nasdaq Closes 0.94%; S&P 500 Up 0.47%; Dow Down 0.02% Centene Falls After Cutting 2025 Outlook Tesla Rises, Rebounds From Early Week Losses Wall Street Futures Up 0.1%, Nikkei Flat

Thomas Frank 10:28 2025-07-03 UTC+2
Can't speak right now?
Ask your question in the chat.
Widget callback
 

Dear visitor,

Your IP address shows that you are currently located in the USA. If you are a resident of the United States, you are prohibited from using the services of InstaFintech Group including online trading, online transfers, deposit/withdrawal of funds, etc.

If you think you are seeing this message by mistake and your location is not the US, kindly proceed to the website. Otherwise, you must leave the website in order to comply with government restrictions.

Why does your IP address show your location as the USA?

  • - you are using a VPN provided by a hosting company based in the United States;
  • - your IP does not have proper WHOIS records;
  • - an error occurred in the WHOIS geolocation database.

Please confirm whether you are a US resident or not by clicking the relevant button below. If you choose the wrong option, being a US resident, you will not be able to open an account with InstaForex anyway.

We are sorry for any inconvenience caused by this message.