Oil falls as worsening pandemic threatens recovery

TOKYO: Oil prices dipped on Monday, weighed down by the prospect that a rise in the pace of coronavirus infections could derail a recovery in fuel demand.

Brent crude was down 10 cents, or 0.2%, at $43.04 a barrel by 0047 GMT, after dropping slightly last week. U.S. oil was off by 6 cents, or 0.2%, at $40.53 a barrel, after gaining 4 cents last week.

“With global daily COVID-19 case counts still rising and the U.S. Sunbelt most populous states showing little success in bending and containing the (epidemic’s) curve, concerns about the post-COVID recovery pace are limiting the upside for oil,” said Stephen Innes, chief global markets strategist at Axicorp.