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 sluggish because of the downturn in the economy.