ND: Oil Futures Gain Slightly on Bernanke Statement
Crude oil futures turn in slight gains on comments being delivered by Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke, urging Congress to replace sequestration with more gradual cuts to government spending.
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REPORTED EARLIER:
Crude Oil Falls Amid Renewed Euro Zone Worries After Italian Vote
By Ben Winkley
LONDON--Crude oil futures fell sharply in London Tuesday morning as the uncertainty caused by a likely political deadlock after elections in Italy renewed worries over the economic health of the broader euro-zone region.
At 0825 GMT, the front-month April Brent contract on London's ICE futures exchange was down $1.05 at $113.39 a barrel.
The front-month April light, sweet crude contract on the New York Mercantile Exchange was trading 85 cents lower at $ 92.96 a barrel.
Italy's "partial election results point to a deadlock where it could be impossible to govern and again the domino effect was mentioned to justify the dreadful performance for the global markets," Capital Spreads said in a note to clients.
Write to ben.winkley@dowjones.com
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