由于尼日利亚石油供应再次受到扰乱，加之人们对美国经济可能避免衰退日益感到乐观，油价昨日创下每桶逾120美元的纪录。

Oil prices hit a record of more than $120 a barrel yesterday, driven by fresh supply disruptions in Nigeria and a growing sense of optimism that the US economy might escape recession.

纽约商品交易所(Nymex) 6月份交割的西德克萨斯中质油(West Texas Intermediate)一度上探每桶120.21美元，其后有所回落，上涨3.50美元至每桶119.52美元，而伦敦洲际交易所(ICE)6月份交割的布伦特原油(Brent)飙升3.39美元至每桶117.95美元，此前一度升至每桶118.50美元的新高。

Nymex June West Texas Intermediate reached $120.21 a barrel before easing back to trade $3.50 higher at $119.52, while ICE June Brent surged $3.39 to $117.95 a barrel after reaching a new peak of $118.50.

昨日发布的4月份美国供应管理学会(ISM)服务业指数意外上升，提升了人们对于美国经济可能避免衰退的希望。上周五，美国发布的就业数据强于预期。

Hopes of the US economy avoiding recession were lifted by yesterday’s unexpected increase in the April ISM service-sector survey, which followed employment data on Friday that was better than expected.

奥运会前中国的强劲需求，已推动油价在今年迄今上涨25%，尽管由于美国经济陷入低迷，美国的需求增长较为缓慢。

Strong demand from China ahead of the Olympics has helped to drive oil prices up by 25 per cent this year, although demand growth in the US has been sluggish¹ because of the downturn in the economy.