Oil falls as spending cuts loom

OIL fell yesterday to its lowest level of the year on worrisome economic developments in the world's two largest oil-consuming nations.

Oil dropped close to US$90 a barrel as the prospect of US government spending cuts raised concerns about oil demand in the world's leading economy. In addition China's manufacturing grew at its weakest rate in five months in February.

The price of crude fell 1.5 percent and is down 6 percent in two weeks

Benchmark crude for April delivery fell US$1.37 to close at US$90.68 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Oil last closed below US$91 in New York on Dec. 28.

While there have been signs of an improving US economy in recent weeks, attention Friday was focused on the increasing likelihood that about US$85 billion in spending cuts could start taking effect later in the day as part of an earlier budget agreement between the White House and Congress.

The International Monetary Fund has predicted that the spending cuts could reduce US growth by some 0.5 percentage point in 2013.

In China two surveys showed that manufacturing growth slowed last month, as demand faltered and factories shut down for the Lunar New Year holiday.

Brent crude, used to price many kinds of oil imported by US refineries, fell 98 cents to finish at US$110.40 a barrel on the ICE Futures exchange in London.

In other energy futures trading on the Nymex:

- Wholesale gasoline rose 2 cents to end at US$3.13 a gallon.

- Heating oil lost 3 cents to finish at US$2.93 a gallon.

- Natural gas fell 3 cents to end at US$3.46 per 1,000 cubic feet.

We recommend:
IKEA: Meatballs in China supplied by Fujian factory	Jet-set life takes off for country's super-rich	Taking a bite out of the market for snakes
Ratings agency warns about rising debt	Holiday firework sales fail to boom	4G network to lead the world