Oil prices eased further on Tuesday as China’s economic data renewed demand concerns, while investors remained cautious ahead of the U.S. Federal Reserve’s interest rate decision.
U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude was down 11 cents at $70.60 a barrel at 0409 GMT, while Brent crude futures fell 6 cents to $73.85 a barrel.
Prices were “weighed on by profit-taking after last week’s 6% rally and a batch of disappointing Chinese economic data yesterday,” IG market analyst Tony Sycamore said.
On Monday, prices fell from multi-week highs on unexpected weakness in consumer spending data from China, despite strength in industrial output, and as investors moved into a holding pattern ahead of the Fed’s meeting.
The Fed will hold its last policy meeting of the year on Tuesday and Wednesday, where it is widely expected to cut interest rates by a quarter of a percentage point.
The meeting will also shed light on how much further officials think they will cut interest rates in 2025 and 2026, and whether the central bank will scale back easing in anticipation of higher inflation under the incoming Trump administration.
