• English
  • 简体中文
  • 繁體中文
  • Tiếng Việt
  • ไทย
  • Indonesia
Subscribe
Real-time News
On April 4, local time on April 3, U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert Kennedy Jr. said that about 20% of the layoffs in the Department of Government Efficiency were wrong and needed to be corrected. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services laid off about 10,000 people on the 1st. Kennedy said that people who should not have been laid off were laid off, and the department is restoring their positions. Kennedy said that canceling the entire lead poisoning prevention and monitoring department of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was one of the mistakes. At present, it is unclear what other projects Kennedy may plan to restore.Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda: Will consider the impact of food costs on consumers.On April 4, local time on the 3rd, the automobile company Stellantis said that due to the impact of the US import automobile tariff policy, the company decided to lay off 900 employees in its five US factories and suspend production operations at two assembly plants in Canada and Mexico. Antonio Filosa, Chief Operating Officer of Stellantis Americas, said that the US factories that were laid off were powertrain and stamping parts factories, which produced spare parts for two assembly plants in Canada and Mexico. According to the plan, the assembly plant in Canada will stop production for two weeks, and the assembly plant in Toluca, Mexico will suspend production throughout April. Filosa said the company is "continuing to evaluate the medium- and long-term impact of tariffs on operations."Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda: Non-weather factors may push up food prices.Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda: Price changes in goods frequently purchased by households may affect consumer sentiment and the underlying inflation rate.

Oil Prices Begin the Week Lower as Fears of a Chinese Covid Lockdown Fuel Demand Concerns

Charlie Brooks

Apr 12, 2022 09:18

O3.png


On the New York Mercantile Exchange, oil futures declined 4.04 percent to close at $94.29 a barrel, while Brent crude futures slid 4.2 percent to trade at $98.49 a barrel on the London's Intercontinental Exchange (NYSE:ICE).


China's travel ban has harmed travel activities in the world's second biggest economy, placing a squeeze on jet fuel and crude oil consumption. "Air traffic has been reduced to 10% of its normal level not just in Shanghai, but also in other parts of the nation," Commerzbank stated in a note.


According to Commerzbank, the effect of decreased transport demand is estimated to be between 1.2 million and 1.3 million barrels per day, with jet fuel consumption accounting for around half of this amount.


However, there looks to be some relief on the horizon, as Shanghai officials said Monday that they will begin relaxing lockdowns in certain neighborhoods. The announcement comes after China's financial capital recorded a record number of new Covid cases on Sunday, exceeding 25,000.


Demand is being slashed at a time when extra production is scheduled to come online, putting more downward pressure on oil prices. The International Energy Agency's member states agreed last week to release 60 million barrels over the next six months, assuaging concerns about a supply crisis.