Global oil demand has proven stronger than expected as the latest coronavirus variant inflicts a softer hit to the economy than anticipated, the International Energy Agency said. “Demand dynamics are stronger than many of the market observers had thought, mainly due to the milder Omicron expectations,” IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol said on a call with reporters on Wednesday. Crude prices have rallied this year, pushing further above $80 a barrel in London, as fuel use proves resilient while supplies suffer a range of setbacks from North America to Libya and Kazakhstan. “We see some of the key producers including ... (full story)