Oil prices steady on expectations Fed rate hike to curb fuel demand

Oil prices steadied on Tuesday after rising in the previous session on concerns that further United States interest rate hikes this week to tame inflation will curb economic growth and fuel demand in the world’s biggest oil consumer. Brent crude futures for November settlement rose three cents to $92.03 a barrel by 0449 GMT. US West Texas Intermediate crude for October delivery was at $85.76 a barrel, up three cents. The October contract will expire on Tuesday and the more active November contract was at $85.29, down seven cents, or 0.1 per cent. The dollar remained firm below a two-decade high versus major peers on Tuesday, ahead of a slew of central bank meetings around the world this week led by the US Federal Reserve, which is likely to raise interest rates by another 75 basis points to rein in inflation. The stronger greenback makes dollar-denominated oil more expensive for buyers using other currencies and the expected rate increases have increased concerns that the tightening could trigger a global recession.