By PABLO GORONDI
Associated Press
The price of oil fell below $84 a barrel Monday, unwinding some of the massive gains made Friday, when investors cheered the latest EU plans to tackle the continent's debt and economic woes. Signs of an economic slowdown in China also weighed on markets.
By early afternoon in Europe, benchmark oil for August delivery was down $1.35 at $83.61 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange.
In London, Brent crude for August delivery was down $1.50 at $96.30 per barrel on the ICE Futures exchange.
On Friday, crude soared $7.27 to close at $84.96 in New York after the leaders of the 27 European Union countries said that they would seek to centralize regulation of European banks and, if necessary, bail them out directly, instead of funneling loans through governments that already have too much debt.
The EU said it also plans to ease borrowing costs for Italy and Spain, the third- and fourth-largest of the 17 economies that use the euro, stop mandating painful budget cuts to every country in need of emergency financial aid and tie their budgets, currency and governments more tightly. Continue reading "Oil falls below $84 amid waning EU euphoria" →