Brent slides over 3%, hits lowest level since 2021
Oil prices were heading towards their lowest close since the midst of the coronavirus pandemic in 2021 on Friday, hit by U.S. President Donald Trump's barrage of new tariffs and output increases announced by the OPEC+ producer group.
Brent futures plummeted by $2.29, or 3.3%, to $67.85 a barrel by 0948 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures dived by $2.32, or 3.5%, to $64.63.
Both benchmarks were on course for their biggest weekly losses in percentage terms for half a year.
While the tariff announcement by Trump on Wednesday hurt crude prices, the impact was more severe elsewhere. Investors scrambled to the safety of bonds, the Japanese yen and gold as the news sent shockwaves through global financial markets.
The dollar index, which measures the U.S. currency against six other currencies, fell to 102.98 for its lowest since mid-October.
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Between Trump's tariffs and the OPEC+ output increase, «the oil complex could do little but acquiesce to the type of selling not seen since the collapse experienced during the pandemic», oil broker PVM's John Evans said in a note.
«That rout continues into Asia today.»
Fuelling the oil sell-off was a decision by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies, known collectively as OPEC+, to advance plans for output increases, with the group now aiming to return 411,000 barrels per day (bpd) to the market in May, up from the previously planned 135,000 bpd.
«The timing is frankly amazing,» Evans said.
Imports of oil, gas and