IN BRIEF (Page 17)

Oil demand steady

OPEC held its world oil demand growth forecast steady for 2010 yesterday, noting indications of improvements in the global economy but voicing concerns that oil's price rally remains on shaky ground.

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, supplier of about 35 percent of the world's crude, said the world economy was projected to grow by 3.1 percent, up from the bloc's forecast of 2.9 percent the previous month. China and India remain the "bright spots for the year's economic recovery", it said. Overall, world oil demand is projected to increase by 800,000 barrels per day to 85.15 million barrels per day, OPEC said. That is steady with its December forecast.