Crude Futures Fall as Investors Ponder Signs of Economic Slowdown

摘要

Crude oil futures fell on Thursday as investors focused on signs of further economic slowdown in Europe and a weaker factory sector in China rather than strong US manufacturing data and a move by global central banks to stave off a credit crunch. First-time filings for jobless benefits in the US rose to their highest since late October, also pressuring crude futures. Concerns over an immediate loss of Iranian crude eased. While EU foreign ministers agreed on the need for new sanctions against Tehran, they fell short of immediate action that could have included a ban on imports of its oil.