Oil headed for its first back-to-back weekly gain since June on signs the U.S. and China could be edging closer to a trade deal and as a growing list of central banks start easing policy to shore up growth.

Futures in New York edged higher on Friday and are up 1.2% this week. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell will speak Friday in Jackson Hole, Wyoming amid expectations for another U.S. rate cut next month. The American economy has been flashing recessionary warning signs, spurring speculation that President Donald Trump will strike a deal with China to bolster his re-election chances.

Oil prices have recovered since a steep drop in early August as the U.S.-China trade conflict threatened to morph into a currency war. The White House has struck a softer tone since then, delaying the imposition of some tariffs and signaling more meetings are planned. Meanwhile, a looming U.S. sanctions deadline is threatening to clobber Venezuela’s dwindling fleet of rigs and hamper energy production further.

West Texas Intermediate crude for October delivery added 19 cents, or 0.3%, to $55.54 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange as of 7:32 a.m. in London. The contract fell 0.6% Thursday.

Brent for October climbed 28 cents, or 0.5%, to $60.20 on the ICE Futures Europe Exchange after closing 0.6% lower on Thursday. The global benchmark crude was trading at a premium of $4.67 a barrel to WTI.

Source : Bloomberg