Oil prices fall in Asian trade, stay above $48

SINGAPORE: Oil prices tumbled in Asian trade on Wednesday amid volatility in global financial markets and as world leaders gathered for the G20 economic summit to seek a way out of the worldwide downturn.

New York's main futures contract, light sweet crude for delivery in May, fell $1.17 to $48.49 a barrel.

Brent North Sea crude for May delivery shed $1.13 dollars to $48.10.

World leaders, including Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and US President Barack Obama, will meet in London tomorrow to discuss ways of hauling the global economy out of its worst crisis since the Great Depression in the 1930s.

"If you look at the economy globally, you don't see any convincing signs that the markets have turned around yet," said Jason Feer, Asia Pacific general manager of energy market analysts Argus Media.

The World Bank had said yesterday the global economy is likely to shrink by 1.7 per cent this year, marking the first decline in world output since World War II.

The outlook "reflects the rapid deterioration in financial and economic conditions," the World Bank said.

"The fundamentals are driving (oil) price levels away from the $50 level," said Jonathan Kornafel, Asian director of energy consultants Hudson Capital Energy in Singapore.