The prices of crude oil futures have soared amid worries about global oil supplies triggered by attacks on Saudi oil facilities during the weekend.
As of 19:00 UTC on Monday, London's Brent crude was trading at around 69 dollars a barrel, while New York's West Texas Intermediate was just below the 63-dollar level. Both futures were up more than 14 percent from last week's close.
Brent crude surged 19 percent shortly after the start of this week's trading, while the WTI jumped 15 percent.
Following the attacks, the US said it stands ready to tap into its oil reserve. But despite the announcement, oil prices show no signs of easing.
NHK
