Oil hits new peak
Oil jumped about $1 to fresh records on Thursday, as the dollar fell on gloomy U.S. jobs data and a broad equity sell-off, while a higher-than-expected fall in U.S. crude stocks raised supply concerns.
Oil hovers at $102London Brent crude rose as much as $1.49 to a record of $145.75 a barrel. It was up 89 cents at $145.15 by 7:24 a.m. British time.
U.S. crude rose as much as $1.00 to an all-time high of $144.57 a barrel, before easing back to $144.19.
The dollar hit a two-month low against the euro on Thursday, after a report a day ago showed U.S. private employers cut the most jobs in nearly six years and as the U.S. Dow Jones industrial average .DJI sank into bear market.
Later on Thursday, traders will focus on the outcome of a European Central Bank meeting due at 12:45 p.m. British time, which may result in an interest rate hike that could weaken the U.S. dollar further.
Oil has risen more than 50 percent this year, helped by inflows of speculative money as investors seek to hedge against the falling dollar and inflation.
"We have the weaker U.S. dollar, the reduction in U.S. oil stocks... We may see a bit of profit taking tonight but it all depends on the U.S. dollar," said Gerard Rigby of Fuel First Consulting in Sydney.
In the latest of a series of news this week which stoked supply concerns, official data showed U.S. crude oil stocks fell more than expected last week, down 2 million barrels to 299.8 million barrels, putting commercial inventories below 300 million barrels for the first time since January.
Oil prices have jumped seven-fold since 2002, as demand from emerging economies such as China and India stretches supply growth.
In the Middle East, fears of an escalation in the tensions between Iran and the West over Tehran's nuclear programme continued to support oil prices.
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