Hedge funds slashed their bullish wagers on U.S. crude in the latest week to the lowest level in more than a year, data showed on Friday, as equity markets slid, sparking worries about the energy demand outlook. The speculator group cut its combined futures and options position in New York and London by 42,644 contracts to 216,733 in the week to Oct. 23, the lowest level since September 2017, the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission said. The cut came as money managers in NYMEX U.S. crude sent gross long positions tumbling to the lowest level since January 2016. During the period, U.S. crude and Brent crude prices slumped more than 6 percent on worries about slowing demand growth and as Saudi Arabia said it could supply more crude quickly if needed after U.S. sanctions on Iran’s exports take effect. Brent crude speculators cut net long […]