Oil prices mixed on storm-driven output cuts, rising Covid-19 cases

SINGAPORE, Aug 25 (Reuters): Crude oil prices were mixed on Tuesday as traders weighed massive production cuts in the US Gulf Coast from Tropical Storms Marco and Laura against rising coronavirus cases in Asia and Europe.

Brent crude oil futures LCOc1 added 14 cents, or 0.3 per cent, to $45.27 a barrel by 0700 GMT, while US West Texas Intermediate crude CLc1 was down 4 cents, or 0.1 per cent, at $42.58 a barrel.

"A jump last week in the US rig count and mixed data on Covid-19 infections are having a muted negative effect on oil this week, thanks in part to the possible disruption from two separate hurricanes moving into the US Gulf Coast region," said Stephen Innes, chief global markets strategist at AxiCorp.

Energy companies moved to cut production at US Gulf Coast oil refineries on Monday after shutting 82 per cent of the area's offshore crude oil output as the rare double-storm assault on key US oil regions threatens to bring days of heavy rains and strong winds this week.

Producers have shut more than 1.5 million barrels per day of Gulf Coast offshore oil production, nearly 14 per cent of the nation's total output.

A top US infectious diseases expert warned on Monday that rushing out

vaccines could undermine trials of other promising candidates, following a boost to markets after US regulators authorised the use of blood plasma from recovered Covid-19 patients as a treatment option.