Brent, WTI headed for biggest weekly drop since Sept.2
US crude stocks, fuel inventories fall, EIA says
China39;s Q3 economy grew at the slowest pace since early 2023
Hezbollah to escalate war with Israel after the killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar
OPEC and IEA cut their forecasts for global oil demand in 2024 and 2025
LONDON, Oct 18 Reuters Oil futures in inched lower and were headed for more than a 6 weekly drop on Friday on concerns about demand from China39;s slowing economy and easing supply risk from the Middle East conflict.
Brent crude futures inched 33 cents lower, or 0.44, to 74.12 a barrel by 1143 GMT, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude was at 70.41 a barrel, down 26 cents, or 0.4.
The benchmarks are set to fall more than 6 this week, their biggest weekly decline since Sept. 2, after OPEC and the International Energy Agency cut their forecasts for global oil demand in 2024 and 2025.
Fears also eased about a potential retaliatory attack by Israel on Iran that could disrupt Tehran39;s oil exports.
In China, the world39;s top oil importer, the economy grew at the slowest pace since early 2023 in the thirdquarter, though consumption and industrial output figures for September beat forecasts.
China39;s refinery output also declined for the sixth straight month as weak fuel consumption and thin refining margins curbed processing.
Meanwhile, China39;s central bank rolled out two funding schemes that will initially pump 800 billion yuan 112.38…