Investing Topics: Oil Demand

The supply-demand balance for oil tankers will weaken over the next two years, with capacity additions outstripping demand growth related to emerging trade routes, global production trends and increasing oil consumption. Nevertheless, many tanker stocks trade at valuations last seen when the market faced much bigger challenges. Meanwhile, the outlook for refined-product tankers looks better, with a smaller order book and Saudi Arabia’s growing focus on exported value-added products instead of crude oil expected to keep the supply-demand balance relatively tight.