VOL. XXXVI

NO. 23

8 MARCH 1993

OIL PRICES

OPEC Basket Price Averaged $17.66 in February

The average spot price for the OPEC basket of seven crudes for the month ofFebruary was $17.66, according to figures recently released by the OPECSecretariat. This is an increase of $0.96 compared with the January averagebasket price of $16.71/B, and comes close to matching the December average of$17.69/B. The February basket price is $3.34 below OPEC's $21/B minimumreference price.

Prices fluctuated throughout...