Oil prices seen their best quarter in 30 years

Oil prices registered their best quarterly performance in 30 years during the three months through to the end of June, staging a dramatic comeback after falling to record lows in April.

Brent crude futures skyrocketed more than 80% in the second quarter. It was the international benchmark’s best quarterly performance since the third quarter of 1990, when it registered gains of 142% during the first Gulf War.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate futures surged 91% in the three months through to end of June, also reflecting the best quarterly performance for U.S. crude since the third quarter of 1990 when it soared 131%.

However, despite notching extraordinary gains in recent weeks, both Brent and WTI futures are still down over 34% since the start of the year.

The IEA’s Executive Director Fatih Birol has reportedly said he believes 2020 may well come to be regarded as the worst year in the history of global oil markets, with April likely to be the worst month the industry has ever seen