NEW YORK (Reuters) -Prices of crude ticked lower on Friday as inventors’ concerns over coronavirus remained in focus. The United States surpassed 4 million confirmed cases of infection, while both India and Mexico registered a record high in the number of COVID-19 cases in the past day. Meanwhile, US oil stockpiles jumped by 4.9 million barrels to 536.6 million barrels last week. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) for September settlement went down by 0.83%, selling for $40.73 per barrel at 3:36 am ET, while Brent for deliveries in the same month slid 0.53% a minute later to go for $43.08 per barrel. The coronavirus cases increased in many countries, though a flurry of announcements about a potential COVID-19 vaccine and a European Union fund to revive economies hit by the pandemic curbed losses. “As things stand, prices are not likely to produce any sizeable gains very soon, until a signal that the pandemic slows down,” said Rystad Energy’s head of oil markets Bjornar Tonhaugen. “Even though in Europe the virus has been cornered, the Americas and some Asian states still have a long way to go.” More than 15 million people have been infected by the novel coronavirus globally and more than 1,000,000 have died of COVID-19, the disease caused by the pathogen, according to a Reuters tally. An experimental coronavirus vaccine being developed by AstraZeneca (AZN.L) and Britain’s University of Oxford was safe and produced an immune response in early-stage clinical trials, data showed, keeping alive the hope it could be in use by the end of the year. More than 150 possible vaccines are in various stages of development with U.S. drugmaker Pfizer (PFE.N) and China’s CanSino Biologics also reporting positive responses for their candidates on Monday. “Over the past few weeks, crude oil prices have actually been uncharacteristically quiet, suggesting a potentially sharp move could be on the cards soon,” said Fawad Razaqzada, market analyst with ThinkMarkets. “If the recovery in demand turns out to be quicker and more robust than expected, the supply surplus could diminish fast given the ongoing supply restrictions by the OPEC+ group. This should mean higher oil prices, everything else being equal.” While fuel demand has recovered from a 30% drop in April after many countries imposed strict lockdowns, usage is still below pre-pandemic levels. U.S. retail gasoline demand is falling again as infections rise. Rising tension between China and the United States also put pressure on prices. Saudi Arabia’s 84-year-old ruler, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, has been admitted to hospital, suffering from inflammation of the gall bladder. The king has ruled the world’s largest crude oil exporter and close U.S. ally since 2015. Nick Note: Bottom line as the days go by more and more people are figuring out the 2 shot vaccine plus booster shot good for maybe 90 days are a cruel kill the cats joke. Little more then a publicity stunt to fool the fools. AND every day that goes by more and more people test positive, enter hospitals and die all in record amounts. Unless the testing kills people more testing is not whats going on here. Try more and more and more deadly coronavirus infections. Lock Downs will occur in two was. Either the sold out politicians stop pandering to the bossiness open her up lobbies. Or so many people are sick and dying things shutdowns occur any way. As far as oil… It will soon be in the twenties……..