Oil prices declined for the second day in a row, amid concerns about a new variant of the novel Coronavirus and the rise of the US Dollar (USD).
Brent crude futures for February delivery lost 83 cents, or 1.6%, to close at $50.08 per barrel.
Meanwhile, the West Texas Intermediate (WTI) futures for February delivery closed lower by 95 cents, or 2%, at $47.97 per barrel.