Oil market rebalancing will soon set stage for more OPEC+ supply: IEA

LONDON (Reuters) – Global oil supply still outstrips demand due to persistent COVID-19 lockdowns and the spread of variants, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said on Thursday, but vaccines should help demand recover and soon enable producers to pump more.

“With demand forecast to rise strongly and still modest growth in non-OPEC supply expected, a rapid stock draw is anticipated during the second half of the year.”

“That sets the stage for OPEC+ to start unwinding cuts.”

The Paris-based energy watchdog kept its outlook for oil demand growth in 2021 largely steady, saying a decline in the first quarter of this year from already low levels in the last quarter of 2020 would soon reverse.

“The forecasts for economic and oil demand growth are highly dependent on progress in distributing and administering vaccines, and the easing of travel restrictions in the world’s major economies,” it said.

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