*Asian Buyers Boost Physical Oil as Pandemic Punishes Futures*
Traders have a view that China and India have bolstered demand for physical oil even though prices are being hammered by oversupply and demand problems that are sending shockwaves through the oil market, with lows on Thursday touching $36.64 before bouncing back up at midafternoon. Chinese refiners are still the keenest buyers of the benchmark as they look to fill early 2021 import quotas. (Reuters)
*Two-Thirds of US Gulf Crude Offline Ahead of Category 2 Hurricane Zeta*
More than 1.2 million barrels per day of crude are shut in as refiners take their production offline due to the incoming category 2 Hurricane that strengthened as it scheduled to make landfall. The shut-in figure represents 66% of US Gulf output. (S&P Global Platts)