Oil price at highest level since 2008; Asian markets slump (Ld)

New Delhi, March 7 (IANS) Oil prices have soared to the highest level since 2008 after the US said it was discussing a potential embargo on Russian supplies with its allies, BBC reported.Brent crude -- the global oil benchmark -- spiked to above $139 a barrel, before easing back to below $130, BBC reported.Energy markets have been rocked in the recent days over supply fears triggered by the Russian invasion of Ukraine.Consumers are already feeling the impact of higher energy costs as fuel prices and household bills jump.Stock markets in Asia fell on Monday, with Japan's Nikkei and the Hang Seng in Hong Kong down by more than 3 per cent, the report said.On Sunday, the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the Biden administration and its allies are discussing an embargo of Russian oil supplies.Later, US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi said the chamber was "exploring" legislation to ban the import of Russian oil and that Congress this week intended to enact $10bn of aid for Ukraine in response to Russia's military invasion."The House is currently exploring strong legislation that will further isolate Russia from the global economy," Pelosi said in a letter.A Russian oil embargo would be a major escalation in the response to the invasion of Ukraine and would potentially have a major impact on the global economy, the report said.
--IANS san/dpb

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