Oil prices dipped on Thursday as surging COVID-19 cases in China dimmed hopes of a recovery in fuel demand for the world’s largest crude oil importer.
Brent futures for February fell 79 cents, or 1.0%, to $82.47 a barrel by 0730 GMT, while U.S. crude fell 80 cents, or 1.0%, to $78.16 a barrel.
The scale of the latest outbreak and doubts over official data prompted some countries to enact new travel rules on Chinese visitors, even as China began dismantling the world’s strictest COVID regime of lockdowns and testing.
