• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Current price of oil as of June 17, 2026

2

'Work hard, stay loyal, and the system will reward you': the Boomer credo is a Gen X betrayal and a Millennial pipe dream

3

Hundreds of Stanford students walked out of their grad ceremony to protest Google CEO’s commencement speech. It wasn’t all about AI

1

Current price of oil as of June 17, 2026

2

'Work hard, stay loyal, and the system will reward you': the Boomer credo is a Gen X betrayal and a Millennial pipe dream

3

Hundreds of Stanford students walked out of their grad ceremony to protest Google CEO’s commencement speech. It wasn’t all about AI
Oil

Oil Gets Closer to $30 a Barrel

By
Reuters
Reuters
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Reuters
Reuters
Down Arrow Button Icon
January 7, 2016, 9:31 AM ET
Belridge Oil Field and hydraulic fracking site
Pump jacks at the Belridge Oil Field and hydraulic fracking site which is the fourth largest oil field in California. Kern County, San Joaquin Valley, California. (Photo by: Citizens of the Planet/Education Images/UIG via Getty Images)Photograph by Education Images UIG via Getty Images
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Oil fell below $33 a barrel on Thursday for the first time since April 2004 as a fall in Chinese shares rattled investors already concerned by near-record production and massive stockpiles of unwanted crude and refined products.

Oil prices have fallen by around 70% since mid-2014, hurting oil companies and governments that rely on crude revenue.

China let its yuan currency slip on Thursday, sending regional currencies and stock markets globally tumbling. The offshore yuan fell to its lowest since trading started in 2010.

China’s stock markets were suspended less than half an hour after opening on Thursday after sharp falls triggered a new circuit-breaking mechanism for a second time since its introduction this week.

“Negative sentiment is hurting demand expectations, growth is easing in China and there is a spillover from the inventory build in (U.S.) gasoline stocks from yesterday and this is reflected in prices,” said Hans van Cleef, senior energy economist at ABN Amro in Amsterdam.

Brent fell more than 5% to a low of $32.16 before paring some of its losses. It stood down 3.4% at $33.07 at 1230 GMT..

U.S. crude futures hit a low of $32.10, their lowest since late 2003, before bouncing slightly to $32.72.

Prices trimmed early losses, with violence in the Middle East and north Africa offering a measure of support for the market.

A military training center in the Libyan town of Zliten was hit by a truck bomb on Thursday, causing dozens of casualties, witnesses said, while dozens of air strikes hit the Yemeni capital Sanaa.

However, oil’s rapid fall has made a prediction that Goldman Sachs made last year that crude could fall as low as $20 per barrel seem less outlandish than it then seemed.

On Wednesday, U.S. government data showed a 10.6-million-barrel surge in gasoline supplies, the biggest weekly build since 1993.

Analysts said further builds in global inventories are possible, putting more pressure on prices.

“All looks set for yet higher oil inventories on top of already record high levels,” said Bjarne Schieldrop, chief commodities analyst at SEB in Oslo.

“European crude and product inventories are close to full with Asian inventories moving closer to capacity during Q1 2016, with global residual surplus most likely having to be stored in the U.S., resulting in a potentially rapidly rising U.S. oil inventories.”

Technical analysts also said there was little to stop the price tumbling further.

“The ‘bear-fest’ has now begun,” PVM technical analyst Robin Bieber said. “The trend is down and likely to accelerate lower – it is not advised to be long. There are targets lower and these are likely to be mere staging posts on a much bigger move south.”

Exacerbating the oil market woes is weakening demand, especially in Asia including China, which is seeing its slowest economic growth in a generation.

About the Author
By Reuters
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in

Rbotic arm is gripping a CPU inside of a circuit board factory.
InnovationEurope's Most Innovative Companies
Inside Europe’s most innovative companies
By Sam BirchallJune 18, 2026
2 hours ago
Europe’s Most Innovative Companies
Europe’s Most Innovative Companies
By FortuneJune 17, 2026
3 hours ago
kw
EconomyFederal Reserve
Kevin Warsh showed that he’s decisively not Trump’s ‘sock puppet’—and markets didn’t like it
By Eva RoytburgJune 17, 2026
8 hours ago
The G7 just pledged to break China’s rare earth grip — there’s a lot of work to do
EconomyChina
The G7 just pledged to break China’s rare earth grip — there’s a lot of work to do
By Mia OsmonbekovJune 17, 2026
8 hours ago
The froyopocalypse is over. Gen Z is swarming frozen yogurt shops like it’s 2010
RetailGen Z
The froyopocalypse is over. Gen Z is swarming frozen yogurt shops like it’s 2010
By Sam Klebanov and Morning BrewJune 17, 2026
10 hours ago
How surging gold prices led to the biggest jump on this year’s Southeast Asia 500
InvestingGold
How surging gold prices led to the biggest jump on this year’s Southeast Asia 500
By Angelica AngJune 17, 2026
10 hours ago

Most Popular

Current price of oil as of June 17, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of June 17, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 17, 2026
18 hours ago
'Work hard, stay loyal, and the system will reward you': the Boomer credo is a Gen X betrayal and a Millennial pipe dream
Success
'Work hard, stay loyal, and the system will reward you': the Boomer credo is a Gen X betrayal and a Millennial pipe dream
By Nick LichtenbergJune 16, 2026
2 days ago
Hundreds of Stanford students walked out of their grad ceremony to protest Google CEO’s commencement speech. It wasn’t all about AI
Big Tech
Hundreds of Stanford students walked out of their grad ceremony to protest Google CEO’s commencement speech. It wasn’t all about AI
By Tristan BoveJune 15, 2026
3 days ago
Exclusive: Universal beat Disney as Hollywood's maker of the most expensive movie of all time 
Arts & Entertainment
Exclusive: Universal beat Disney as Hollywood's maker of the most expensive movie of all time 
By Christian SyltJune 17, 2026
20 hours ago
The affordability crisis is so bad that, for the first time ever, both mom and dad are working full-time in most American families
Economy
The affordability crisis is so bad that, for the first time ever, both mom and dad are working full-time in most American families
By Jacqueline MunisJune 17, 2026
10 hours ago
Current price of oil as of June 16, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of June 16, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 16, 2026
2 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.