Oil prices were moving close to equilibrium on Thursday, the day after new records in ten and a half months and the publication by the EIA of data on crude inventories in the United States in mixed tone.

Thursday morning, a barrel of Brent from the North Sea for delivery in March appreciated by 0.16% in London compared to the close of the previous day, at 56.15 dollars.

The US barrel of WTI for the month of February gained its side 0.17% to 53.00 dollars.

Crude prices "are in the consolidation phase after their recent gains, which have pushed them to their highest level since the coronavirus epidemic destroyed demand", noted Carlo Alberto De Casa, analyst.

The day before, the prices of the two benchmark contracts rose to $57.42 and $53.93 per barrel respectively, a first since the beginnings of the Covid-19 pandemic at the end of last February, before falling. in the middle of the session.

They remained nearly 10% above their level at the start of 2021 on Thursday.

Investors were also digesting data on crude oil reserves in the United States, which fell by 3.2 million barrels last week, according to a report from the United States Energy Information Agency (EIA). aired Wednesday.