Crude Oil Futures Plummet Amid IEA, OPEC Demand Cuts
Crude oil futures plummeted in Japan's domestic commodity futures market on the 14th, extending their decline. The International Energy Agency (IEA) and the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) released monthly oil market reports on the 12th, which cut their 2026 oil demand forecasts. This downward revision weighed heavily on sentiment, causing selling to dominate the market as expectations grew that the supply-demand balance would loosen further.
The January 2027 contract opened at 74,530 yen per kiloliter, down 510 yen from the previous day's settlement price. However, downside was limited due to ongoing uncertainty over the Middle East situation and concerns about energy shipping disruptions through the Strait of Hormuz.
Gold also fell for a second consecutive session, attributed to reduced risk-aversion sentiment and a stronger dollar. Market participants expect the tug-of-war between demand-side weakness and supply-side uncertainty to persist, with crude oil prices remaining highly sensitive to new economic data and Middle East developments.