Crude oil dropped to the US$111 level for the first time since early May
yesterday as the dollar gained strongly against the euro and other major
currencies.
Light, sweet crude for September delivery fell 1.24 dollars to settle at
113.77 dollars a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. In the morning
session, price slumped to as low as 111.34 dollars a barrel, trading down 3.67
dollars.
The dollar rose to the strongest level in almost six months against the euro
and a seven-month high against the yen. Meanwhile, the sterling pound fell
versus the dollar on speculation that the Bank of England will have to cut
interest rates because of the slowing economy.
A strengthening dollar usually reduces the appeal of crude and other
commodities as hedges against inflation, and makes the dollar-denominated
commodities more expensive to overseas buyers.
OPEC predicted in its monthly report Friday that the global demand for oil
this year will fall by 30,000 barrels a day and the world demand growth next
year will be "the lowest since 2002."
The crude futures have lost more than 24 percent since the all-time peak of
147.27 dollars a barrel reached on July 11.
In London, Brent crude for October delivery fell 1.13 dollars to settle at
112.55 dollars a barrel on the ICE Futures Exchange.