Oil prices victim of the crisis in the eurozone

The price of oil ended down Wednesday in New York, largely impacted by a sharp rise in crude inventories in the United States and by the publication of indicators suggesting the extent of the current crisis in the eurozone .

A barrel of light sweet crude (WTI) for delivery in February dropped by $ 1.37 compared to the previous day, closing at 100.87 dollars on the New York Mercantile Exchange (Nymex).

Meanwhile in London, a barrel of Brent North Sea crude for the same maturity lost $ 1.04, to 112.24 dollars on the Intercontinental Exchange (ICE).

Main factors bear: a US stocks rise, the contraction of GDP in Germany and a quiet, but on the Middle East, which followed three days of high tension in the Strait of Hormuz.

According to recent figures, German economic growth has shown some signs of slowing at the end of 2011, falling from 0.25% last quarter, leaving a glimpse of the horrors of a possible recession in Germany, while the country was so far a real engine of the euro area.

Now, investors fear that Germany instead worsen the economic crisis in the European Union.

Meanwhile, inventories of crude in the United States increased by 5 million barrels in the week ended Jan. 6, a value five times greater than that expected by analysts, while a jump of 2.2 million was the previous week.

Inventories of distillates (including diesel and heating oil) increased by 4 million barrels, gasoline inventories rose 3.6 million barrels, a value much larger - than expected.

Also note that net oil imports increased 10%, registering their largest increase since July 2010.

The threats from Iran suggesting a possible supply disruption by blocking the Strait of Hormuz, which handles about 35% of global gross, are not alien to such a situation.