As oil prices entered a second steep slide a few weeks ago, bullish traders and analysts had hoped for a repeat of the sharp but short dip that occurred early in the year – a speculative slide below $50 a barrel followed by a quick recovery. Some are now reconsidering that view, as long-term oil prices take the lead in the market’s latest dive, swaying sentiment toward a lengthier slump that would mean prolonged pain for big producers, from Exxon Mobil Corp ( XOM.N ) to Saudi Arabia. While immediate delivery benchmark global Brent crude oil futures at $50 a barrel are still about $4 higher than they were at their lowest point in January, prices for delivery in December 2020 LCOZ0 are nearly $8 lower than the start of this year, […]