OPEC on Wednesday cut its forecast for global oil demand growth in 2016 and warned of further reductions citing concern about Latin America and China, pointing to a larger supply surplus this year.
The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries also said top exporter Saudi Arabia kept output steady in March – a sign Riyadh is serious about a plan to be discussed this weekend to freeze output and support prices – while OPEC supply overall rose only slightly.
World demand will grow by 1.20 million barrels per day (bpd) in 2016, OPEC said in its monthly report, 50,000 bpd less than expected previously.
It also cited the impact of warmer weather and the removal of fuel subsidies in some countries.
“Economic developments in Latin America and China are of concern,” OPEC said. “Current negative factors seem to outweigh positive ones and possibly imply downward revisions in oil demand growth, should existing signs persist going forward.”
OPEC’s view contrasts with that of the U.S. Energy Information Administration, which on Tuesday raised its demand forecast slightly.
A third closely watched oil report, from the International Energy Agency, is due on Thursday.
A big slowdown in demand could complicate producers’ efforts to bolster prices by freezing output. The plan, to be discussed on Sunday in Doha, has helped oil prices to rally above $41 a barrel from a 12-year low close to $27 hit in January.
OPEC’s refusal to cut output in late 2014 helped accelerate a drop in prices, which is slowing the development of relatively expensive rival supply sources such as U.S. shale oil and other projects worldwide.