Oil prices cut losses, plunge 1%

Oil drilling rigs

Oil prices fell for the third consecutive session today, June 13, amid concerns of further monetary tightening in the US to counter rising inflation, and the possibility of China imposing additional lockdown restrictions as part of its strict policy to combat the spread of coronavirus.

Brent crude was trading down 1%, or $1.22, at $120.79 per barrel, at 04:34 PM Makkah time, after falling below $120 earlier today.

West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude also declined 1.07% to $119.38 per barrel.

China is re-imposing COVID-19 restrictions as infections rise. This comes only weeks after restrictions were eased in major cities such as Shanghai.

Meanwhile, Goldman Sachs Group said energy prices would have to climb further for Americans to start cutting consumption, Bloomberg reported.

“Prices are not high enough yet to reduce demand growth sufficiently,” Damien Courvalin, Goldman’s head of energy research and a senior commodity strategist, told Bloomberg Television.