UPDATE 4-U.S. oil near two-month low on OPEC output talk
http://af.reuters.com/article/energ...28?pageNumber=3&virtualBrandChannel=0&sp=true
* Talk of higher OPEC output keeps lid on U.S. crude prices
* Brent-WTI spread spikes to more than $12 per barrel
* U.S. crude to fall below $83.50-technicals [ID:nL3E7CS00H]
* Coming Up: First reading on U.S. Q4 GDP at 1330 GMT
(Updates throughout, previous SINGAPORE)
By Christopher Johnson
LONDON, Jan 28 (Reuters) - U.S. crude oil futures steadied near two-month lows around $86 per barrel on Friday after talk of OPEC raising output to cool prices, while robust demand in Europe and Asia bolstered North Sea Brent.
The head of Kuwait Petroleum Corp said on Thursday OPEC might need to boost output as high oil prices threatened the global economy. [ID:nN27280337]
Farouk al-Zanki, head of Kuwait Petroleum Corp, told Reuters at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, he was concerned high oil prices might contribute to the start of another global downturn as they did in 2008. Kuwait is the fifth largest producer in OPEC. [ID:nLDE70Q1KN]
"The first signs are emerging that OPEC is responding, with a thinly veiled call for an emergency OPEC meeting by a Kuwaiti official and indications others are unilaterally raising output," JPMorgan analysts led by Lawrence Eagles said.
OPEC's next meeting is scheduled for June.