Oil extends losses as coronavirus outbreak accelerates outside China

摘要

Oil futures settled lower for a fourth straight session Wednesday asdemand destruction concerns continued to dominate amid the furtherspread of the COVID-19 coronavirus.ICE April Brent settled $1.52 lower at $53.43/b, and NYMEX AprilWTI was down $1.17 at $48.73/b at market close.The US Centers for Disease Control said Wednesday that for thefirst time since the outbreak began, the number of new cases outsideof China has exceeded those inside China, according to media reports.The number of confirmed cases worldwide increased to 81,325across 46 counties as of Wednesday afternoon, according to Universityof Virginia data. At least 2,769 deaths have been attributed to theoutbreak.