Brent crude LCOc1, the global benchmark, was up 70 cents at $51.17 at 1120 GMT. It earlier fell to $49.93, the lowest since July 2017, and posted a 6.2 percent slide in the previous session, Reuters reported.
“I think there is a little bit of over-extension to the downside linked to global market fears,” said Olivier Jakob, analyst at Petromatrix. “It’s all about equities.”
“OPEC has shown it wants a higher prices and is working towards that goal.”
Trade was thin due to the Christmas holidays. Asian stock markets retreated again on Wednesday. Markets in Britain, Germany and France will remain closed on Wednesday.
LR/PR