Brent extends decline in volatile trade

OIL PRICES MARGINALLY eased in choppy trade on Thursday with Brent still below $70 under pressure from trade tariffs between the US, Canada, Mexico and China, and OPEC+ plans to raise output.

- ARATHY SOMASEKHAR

Those factors and a larger-than-expected build in US crude inventories had sent Brent as low as $68.33 on Wednesday, its weakest since December 2021.

Brent futures were down 49 cents at $68.81 a barrel by 1710 GMT on Thursday while US West Texas Intermediate crude futures eased 37 cents, or 0.6%, to $65.90.