Oil prices drops 1% as rising coronavirus cases end supply-led rally

TOKYO (Reuters) – Oil prices fell on Monday, extending losses that last week ended a rally driven by production cuts and strong Chinese demand, with the market’s recovery outlook being called into question as coronavirus infections rise.

Brent crude fell 45 cents, or nearly 1%, to $54.65 a barrel by 0207 GMT, after dropping 2.3% on Friday. U.S. oil was down by 43 cents, also nearly 1%, at $51.93 a barrel, having declined 2.3% in the previous trading session.

The benchmarks had rallied in recent weeks, buoyed by the start of COVID-19 vaccine rollouts and a surprise cut of crude output by the world’s biggest oil exporter, Saudi Arabia. Surging new infections throughout the world, however, have raised doubts about how long demand would hold up.