World crude oil prices plummeted below $61 Friday on mild temperatures forecasts in the northern hemisphere.
New York's main contract, light sweet crude for delivery in December, fell $1.20 to $60.58 per barrel in closing trade. The contract jumped $2.03 Thursday.
In London, Brent crude December contract eased $1.27 to $59.25 per barrel on the IPE.
December heating oil futures fell 3.74 cents to settle at $1.7962 a gallon and gasoline futures dropped 1.88 cent to settle at $1.608 per gallon on the NYMEX.
The recovery of storm-battered outputs and refineries in the Gulf of Mexico continues. The US Minerals Management Service said Friday that 52 percent of daily oil production and 46 percent of natural gas production in the Gulf of Mexico remained off-line. Three main refineries remain shut.
