By Laura Sanicola

(Reuters) -Oil settled down $2 a barrel on Friday and ended the week markedly decrease, as merchants frightened that future U.S. rate of interest hikes may weigh on demand and acquired nervous about mounting indicators of ample crude and gas provide.

On Thursday, two Fed officers warned further hikes in borrowing prices are important to curb inflation. The feelings lifted the U.S. greenback, making oil costlier for holders of different currencies.

futures settled down $2.14 or 2.5%, to $83.00 a barrel, falling 3.9% week on week. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) settled down $2.15, or 2.7%, to $76.34, falling 4.2% from final Friday’s settlement.

“Fee hike jitters have returned with a vengeance,” mentioned Stephen Brennock of oil dealer PVM.

Numerous indicators of ample provide additionally weighed in the marketplace.

Russian oil producers anticipate to take care of present volumes of crude oil exports, regardless of the federal government’s plan to chop oil output in March, the Vedomosti newspaper mentioned on Friday, citing sources aware of firms’ plans.

The newest snapshot of U.S. provides, launched on Wednesday, confirmed crude inventories within the week to Feb. 10 rose by 16.3 million barrels to 471.4 million barrels, their highest stage since June 2021.

“As a result of oil storage is at a 19 month excessive, refiners are going to stretch out turnaround season for so long as they’ll,” mentioned Bob Yawger, director of vitality futures at Mizuho.

cracks fell 5% on Friday as heat climate sapped demand for the gas in mid-February.

The oil and fuel rig rely, an early indicator of future output, fell by one to 760 within the week to Feb. 17, vitality companies agency Baker Hughes Co mentioned on Friday.

Regardless of this week’s rig decline, Baker Hughes mentioned the overall rely was nonetheless up 115, or 18%, over this time final yr.

Some assist got here from strikes this week by the Worldwide Power Company and the Group of the Petroleum Exporting International locations to lift their forecasts for international oil demand progress this yr, citing expectations for extra Chinese language demand.

And Saudi Arabia’s vitality minister mentioned the present deal by OPEC+, which teams OPEC producers with Russia and others, to chop oil output targets by 2 million barrels per day, can be locked in till the tip of the yr, including he remained cautious on Chinese language demand.