据路透社12月21日报道，石油价格周一下跌2美元/桶，因新冠肺炎疫情快速扩散，导致英国大部分地区陷入封锁状态，并导致欧洲实行了更严格的限制措施，这引发了人们对燃料需求复苏放缓的担忧。
格林尼治时间09：26，布伦特原油价格下跌2.06美元，至每桶50.20美元，跌幅3.9%;美国西德克萨斯中质原油价格下跌1.95美元，跌幅4%，至每桶47.15美元。
石油经纪商PVM的斯蒂芬?布伦诺克(Stephen Brennock)表示，在周一的下跌之前，由于新冠肺炎疫苗上市带来的乐观情绪，油价已连续七周上涨。但人们担心疫情引发的担忧情绪将破坏燃料需求的复苏，油价正在下跌。这再次表明，通向需求迈向正常化的道路绝不是一帆风顺的。
英国首相鲍里斯·约翰逊(Boris Johnson)于周一主持召开紧急应对会议，讨论国际旅行和英国货运进出口情况。目前，新冠肺炎病例连续两天创下新高。
有官员表示，新的病毒株比原来病毒株的传播能力高70%。与此同时，约翰逊还在就英国退欧方面寻求达成最终协议。
这种负面情绪盖过了美国达成的9000亿美元疫情援助计划带来的乐观信号。
贝克休斯表示，截至12月18日的一周，美国油气钻井平台数量增加8个，至346个，为5月以来最高水平，这进一步加剧了油价压力，要知道，原油价格自11月底以来一直高于每桶45美元。
俄罗斯副总理亚历山大?诺瓦克表示，全球石油日需求量仍比疫情爆发危机前的水平低600-700万桶。
王佳晶 摘译自 路透社
原文如下：
Oil falls $2 as new virus strain sparks demand worries
Oil prices tumbled by $2 Brent crude was down $2.06, or 3.9%, to $50.20 a barrel by 0926 GMT, and U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude was down $1.95, or 4%, to $47.15 a barrel.
Monday’s declines come after seven weeks of gains in prices amid optimism stemming from the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines.
“Oil prices are wilting amid fears that the new strain will derail the fuel demand recovery. If anything, it reaffirms that the path towards demand normalisation is anything but smooth,” said Stephen Brennock of oil broker PVM.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will chair an emergency response meeting Officials say the new virus strain is up to 70% more transmissible than the original.
Johnson is also seeking a final accord The negative sentiment overshadowed a weekend deal among U.S. congressional leaders for a $900 billion coronavirus aid package.
Adding to pressure, the U.S oil and gas rig count, an early indicator of future output, rose by eight to 346 in the week to Dec. 18, the highest since May, Baker Hughes said, reflecting crude prices that have traded above $45 a barrel since late November.
Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said on Saturday that global oil demand was still 6-7 million barrels per day (bpd) below pre-crisis levels.