OIL prices jumped to a new peak over US$114 a barrel yesterday amid lingering supply worries and weakness in the US dollar, deepening concern in world consumer nations that a spike in energy costs could cause severe economic damage.
Britain's prime minister, Gordon Brown, yesterday called on the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries to boost production to counter rapidly rising oil prices, adding his voice to similar requests from the administration of US President George W. Bush.
"We are not producing enough oil ... and we can take collective action to persuade OPEC and others to get the oil price down," Brown said in an interview on Sky Television.
Oil prices are up about 18 percent from the start of the year and more than 80 percent since last April.
US crude settled up US$2.03 at US$113.79 a barrel, before reaching a fresh record of US$114.08 in late electronic trade. London Brent crude settled US$1.47 higher at US$111.31 a barrel, after hitting an all-time high of US$112.08 in earlier trade.
Oil and other commodities have rallied in recent months due to record weakness in the US dollar. A weak dollar tends to raise prices for commodities denominated in that currency by boosting non-US spending power and by attracting investors seeking an inflation hedge.
"One thing that is clearly driving the oil price is that the US dollar has gotten substantially weaker in the past several months and quarter," said Richard Batty, energy analyst at Standard Life.
The dollar recouped some losses versus the euro yesterday, after US Treasury data showed foreigners increased purchases of US assets in February.
Oil dealers said they were also closely monitoring oil shipments from Mexico, the world's 10th-largest crude exporter, after foul weather interrupted operations at its three main oil ports over the weekend.
The Mexican government said yesterday that two of the ports had reopened, but one remained shut for a third day.
Adding to worries over tight supply, Chinese data yesterday showed imports of diesel zoomed 49 percent higher in March. China's March crude oil imports also rose sharply, according to data released last week.
Despite surging oil prices, OPEC has said it is producing enough and that a US economic slowdown may weaken consumption in the second quarter.
"Current OPEC production at more than 32 million barrels per day will be sufficient to both meet demand growth and contribute to further stock builds," the cartel said in its latest Monthly Oil Market Report.
OPEC, which pumps more than a third of the world's oil, has pointed to US dollar weakness, speculative money inflows into the market and political tensions as key factors driving prices, rather than a lack of oil.
OPEC oil exports dipped 870,000 barrels per day in March, according to data released yesterday by Lloyd's Marine Intelligence Unit.