U.S. crude-oil futures gained more than 4% on Monday, 01 December 2014 at Nymex recovering from five-year lows hit last week after OPEC decided to maintain production levels. Crude futures plunged 10% on Friday, settling at their lowest level since September 2009 on the first opportunity for U.S. markets to react to the OPEC decision.
Light, sweet crude for January delivery rose $2.85, or 4.3%, to settle at $69 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. That was oil's largest percentage gain since August 2012, snapping a four-session losing streak.
OPEC on Thursday kept its output the same, dashing hopes of a production cut that many hoped would boost crude prices. The OPEC's move was seen by some as a way to maintain the bloc's market share. Over the weekend, United Arab Emirates' Oil Minister Suhail Mohamed Faraj Al-Mazrouei said OPEC had no target price it would seek to defend.
World stock and commodity markets were under pressure early Monday following Friday's major collapse in crude oil prices—the day after an OPEC meeting that failed to produce production cuts by member nations.
News that Moody's cut the Japanese government's credit rating was credited with prompting some safe-haven demand for gold, especially from Asian investors.
In other overnight news, the Euro Zone's manufacturing purchasing managers index (PMI) came in at 50.1 in November from 50.6 in October. A reading of 50.4 was expected. A reading below 50.0 suggests contraction. Focus of the market place is on Thursday's regular monthly meeting of the European Central Bank. The ECB says its read to implement further monetary stimulus measures to boost the ailing EU economy. The central bank could make a move at Thursday's meeting.
Meantime, China's manufacturing PMI came in weaker than expected in November, at 50.3 versus 50.8 in October, which is an eight-month low. This report also helped to pressure Asian markets.
Among other energy products, January gasoline rose 5 cents, or 2.9%, to $1.8810 a gallon on Nymex. January heating oil rose 5 cents, or 2.4%, to finish at $2.2124 a gallon also on Nymex.
Elsewhere in the energy complex, January natural gas fell 8 cents, or 2%, to finish at $4 per million British thermal units, extending the contract's more-than 6% plunge on Friday.