亚洲油价上涨至新高

Oil prices continue to push higher, hitting their highest levels in two-and-a-half years.

亚洲油价持续走高，达到近两年半以来最高点。

Brent crude rose 1.4% to $112.80 a barrel in Asian trade, while US light crude was up about 1% at $99.19.

The last time prices were this high was back in October 2008, and analysts¹ said more gains may be on the way.

The high oil price weighed on Asian stock markets, and trading was mixed.

Japan's Nikkei 225 index lost 0.7%. Singapore's STI index, Hong Kong's Hang Seng and South Korea's KOSPI were little changed. In Taiwan, the main index added almost 1%.

More supply

Oil prices have been rising for months, but the uprising in Libya has caused a sharp increase in crude costs.

Libya is the world's 12th-largest exporter of oil, with the majority of its output going to Europe.

Supply concerns were amplified²（放大） after French oil giant Total said it has started to shut down its oil operations in Libya.

Other oil companies have made similar moves in recent days.

Barclays Capital estimates that so far about 1 million barrels per day of production has been shut down.

The International Energy Agency and Saudi Arabia have promised to increase supplies in order to cover any shortfalls.