AAA Daily Fuel Gauge Report for Friday, 1/20/23

National Average Price for Regular Unleaded Current: $2.867; Month Ago: $2.796; Year Ago: $1.895. National Average Price for Diesel Current: $3.083; Month Ago: $3.020; Year Ago: $2.551

Oil prices rose on Friday after the Saudi energy minister said OPEC would need to keep coordinating supply cuts with non-member countries including Russia into 2019. Oil’s rise defied a slump in global stock markets, which fell in response to worries about a trade stand-off between the United States and China. Gold XAU=, seen as a safe haven, hit a two-week high. Brent crude futures LCOc1 were at $69.10 per barrel at 1136 GMT, up 19 cents but off a session high of $70. For the week, Brent was up about 4.4 percent, its strongest showing since October. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures CLc1 were at $64.57 a barrel, up 27 cents but below a session high of $65.42. On the week, WTI was up about 3.6 percent.

Futures were little changed in New York after rising 0.4 percent on Wednesday. The American Petroleum Institute estimates stocks fell by 5.12 million barrels last week, a steeper drop than the 3.15 million forecast in a Bloomberg survey before Energy Information Administration data due Thursday. OPEC’s outlook for rival supply expanded once again, the group said in its monthly report, becoming the latest agency to boost its estimates for American production. Oil is extending its run after two consecutive annual gains as the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies including Russia curb supplies. While the cuts are gradually shrinking a global surplus, OPEC said rising prices are boosting production in North America. The International Energy Agency, which releases its monthly report on Friday, may also increase its estimates for U.S. output, said Executive Director Fatih Birol. Click Read More below for additional information.