OPEC+ debates whether to raise or freeze oil output as price recovers | Reuters

OPEC+ debates whether to raise or freeze oil output as price recovers | Reuters

OPEC and its allies in will decide on Thursday whether to freeze oil output or raise it slightly from April as a recent price rally is clouded by concern over the fragility of economic recovery during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The market has been expecting the OPEC+ group of producers to ease supply cuts by about 500,000 barrels per day (bpd) from April. OPEC’s de facto leader Saudi Arabia has also been expected to partially or fully end its voluntary production cut of an additional 1 million bpd.

But three OPEC+ sources said on Wednesday that some key members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) had suggested that output across the OPEC+ group should be kept unchanged.

It was not immediately clear whether Saudi Arabia would end its voluntary cuts or extend them, they said.