For a third year, international oil prices have gone nowhere. Brent, the global marker, has averaged more than $108 a barrel in 2013 – like it did in 2012 and 2011 – as feared oversupply from the US shale revolution failed to materialise because of production setbacks in other parts of the world.
For many investors who track commodities, and hedge funds who bet on volatility, this has meant poor returns. For investment banks, it has meant a lack of business as consumers see less need to hedge. Only Opec, the producers’ cartel, has been happy, with consistently high revenues.
So is it time for investors to throw in the towel on Brent, or will 2014 bring anything different? Analysts are divided.
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