ANALYST VIEWS WHAT’S NEXT FOR THE OIL MARKET?
IVOR PETHER | ROYAL LONDON ASSET MANAGEMENT
“The recent rise in the oil price is intriguing as there has also been a flattening of the forward curve – the spot price is up from $75 to $85 over the last couple of months, while prices for delivery several years out have fallen from $90 to $87, so the forward curve is now very flat.”
SIMON HAWKINS | EDISON
“I don’t expect oil prices to go crazy, about $85 a barrel up to $90 would be about right. There is not the speculative bubble that there was when the prices shot up last time. That was a self-fulfilling prophecy really. Demand in India and China will help the price though.”
TONY SHEPARD | CHARLES STANLEY
“The oil price is at the top of its range at the moment and there does not seem to be the demand to justify it. There is obviously demand in the Far East and China which could drive things forward. It’s very difficult to predict oil prices – few see the rises or the slumps coming.”