Oil prices fell on Friday with fears for fuel demand growing as the coronavirus epidemic that originated in China spread further beyond the country, while major crude producers stood pat on taking early action to cut output to support the market.
Brent crude was down 24 cents, or 0.4 per cent, at $59.07 a barrel by 0155 GMT, while United States (US) crude was off by 25 cents, or 0.5 per cent, at $53.63 a barrel.
On Friday South Korean authorities confirmed 52 new coronavirus infections, Yonhap reported. The streets of the country’s fourth-largest city were deserted on Thursday after dozens of people there went down with the pathogen in what authorities described as a “super-spreading” event.
