Struggling

WTI and Brent sit ~$0.65 below settlement levels, with questions surrounding the potential for timely implementation of the U.S. fiscal support package evident in the wake of U.S. President Trump's well-documented lambasting of the current Bill.

• Another surprise headline crude stock build in the latest round of weekly API inventory estimates was also seen ahead of Asia-Pac hours, which applied pressure to the space in post-settlement trade and was accompanied by mixed product metrics and fairly flat Cushing inventory levels.
• Continued worry re: the recent COVID mutation centring on the UK and its knock-on impact for fuel demand pressured crude on Tuesday, although the benchmarks managed to recover from worst levels of the day (although Tuesday's lows are being tested at present).
• The weekly DoE inventory data headlines on Wednesday.