Oil prices set for biggest weekly loss in over a month on demand worries
Brent, WTI headed for biggest weekly drop since Sept. 2
US crude stocks, fuel inventories fall, EIA says
China's Q3 economy grew at the slowest pace since early 2023
Hezbollah to escalate war with Israel after Hamas leader killing
OPEC, IEA cut forecasts for global oil demand in 2024, 2025
Updates prices at 1328 GMT
By Arunima Kumar
LONDON, Oct 18 (Reuters) - Oil futures dropped on Friday as they headed for a roughly 7% weekly drop as China's economic growth slowed and threats to supply abated in the Middle East.
Brent crude futures LCOc1 fell89 cents, or 1.2%,to $73.56a barrel by 1328GMT, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude CLc1 was at $69.72 a barrel, down 95cents or 1.3%.
The benchmarks are set to fall more than 6% this week, their biggest weekly decline since Sept. 2, after OPEC and the International Energy Agency cut their forecasts for global oil demand in 2024 and 2025.
Fears also eased about a potential retaliatory attack by Israel on Iran that could disrupt Tehran's oil exports.
In China, the world's top oil importer, the economy grew at the slowest pace since early 2023 in the third-quarter, though consumption and industrial output figures for September beat forecasts.
China's refinery output also declined for the sixth straight month as weak fuel consumption and thin refining margins curbed processing.
Meanwhile, China's central bank rolled out two funding schemes that will initially pump 800 billion yuan ($112.38 billion) into the stock market through newly-created monetary policy tools.
Supporting crude prices, EnergyInformation Administration datashowed U.S. crude oil, gasoline and distillate inventories fell last week.
U.S. retail sales increased slightly more than expected in September, with investors still pricing in a 92% chance of a Federal Reserve rate cut in November.
"Positive U.S. economic data has helped alleviate some growth concerns, but market participants continue to monitor potential demand recovery in China following recent stimulus measures," said Hani Abuagla, senior market analyst at XTB MENA.
Markets, however, remained concerned about possible price spikes given the war in theMiddle East. After the killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar,Lebanon's Hezbollah militant group saidon Friday it was moving to a new and escalating phase as it battles Israeli troops.
"Although the U.S. would like to believe that the killing of the leader is an opportunity to resume serious and meaningful peace talks, it seems more like a wishful thinking than a realistic alternative," said Tamas Varga, an analyst with oil broker PVM.
Reporting by Arunima Kumar in London, Florence Tan and Trixie Yap in Singapore; Additional reporting by Paul Carsten in London; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman, Jamie Freed, Shri Navaratnam, Elaine Hardcastle and Louise Heavens
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