WTI remains under pressure below $71.50 as Saudi Arabia commits to increase oil production.

• WTI trades in negative territory for the third consecutive day near $67.00 in Friday’s Asian session. 
• The prospect of more oil output drags the WTI price lower. 
• The Chinese fresh stimulus plans help limit the WTI’s losses. 

West Texas Intermediate (WTI), the US crude oil benchmark, is trading around $71.30 on Friday. WTI price edges lower as Saudi Arabia is committed to pressing ahead with output increases later this year.

Saudi Arabia is ready to abandon its unofficial price target of $100 a barrel for crude oil as it prepares to increase production, even if the move results in a prolonged period of low oil prices, per the Financial Times. 

Furthermore, the expectation that oil production in Libya will rise after rival political factions agreed to appoint a new central bank governor on Thursday exerts some selling pressure on the WTI price. "The prospect of additional supply from Libya and Saudi Arabia has been the main driver behind the latest weakness," said Ole Hansen, an analyst at Saxo Bank.

On the other hand, the downside of the black gold might be limited as Chinese officials announced a fresh stimulus package earlier this week. The prospect of higher Chinese demand due to the recent measures could lift the WTI price as China is the world’s largest crude importer and second-largest consumer. 

On Friday, the People's Bank of China (PBOC) cut the seven-day repo rate to 1.5% from 1.7% on Friday. Additionally, the Chinese central bank announced to cut the amount of the reserve requirement ratio (RRR), the required minimum capital banks must hold in reserve, by 50 basis points (bps).