TOKYO- Oil prices fell on Monday amid mounting concerns that surging caseloads of coronavirus infections in India and other countries will lead to stronger measures and hit economic activity, along with demand for commodities such as crude.
Brent crude was down 43 cents, or 0.6 percent, at $66.34 a barrel, after rising 6 percent last week. US oil was down 42 cents, or 0.7 percent, at $62.71 a barrel, having gained 6.4 percent last week.
“With … a resurgence of virus cases in India and Japan, topside ambitions continue to run into walls of profit-taking,” said Stephen Innes, chief market strategist at Axi.
India reported 261,500 new coronavirus infections on Sunday, taking cases to nearly 14.8 million, second only to the United States, which has reported more than 31 million infections.
India’s deaths from COVID-19 rose by a record 1,501 to reach a total of 177,150.
Hong Kong will suspend flights from India, Pakistan and the Philippines from April 20 due to imported coronavirus infections, authorities said in a statement late on Sunday.
Japanese companies believe the world’s third-largest economy will experience a fourth round of coronavirus infections, with many bracing for a further blow to business, a Reuters monthly poll showed.
