World oil prices shed more than a dollar on Thursday, with sentiment rattled by investor concerns about the eurozone debt and deficit crisis, and a strong US currency, analysts said.
New York's main contract, light sweet crude for delivery in June, plunged 1.01 dollars to 68.86 dollars a barrel in midday trading.
The June contract, which expires at the close, had struck its lowest level for more than seven months on Wednesday -- at 67.90 dollars -- on fears about the impact of the eurozone crisis on energy demand.
However they recovered late in the day on positive US economic data.