UPDATES

UPDATES FOR NOVEMBER 19

Crude oil fell for a fifth day, approaching $50 a barrel, as

the contracting world economy increases concerns that

demand for fuels will slow.

U.S. fuel use during the past four weeks averaged 19.1 million

barrels a day, down 7 percent from a year ago, an Energy

Department report said yesterday. Equities declined with the

MSCI Asia Pacific Index dropping for a fourth day while the

Dow Jones Industrial Average yesterday fell to the lowest

since March 2003.

``The big picture remains one of weak demand, economic concerns

and a falling market,'' said Antoine Halff, head of energy research

at Newedge USA LLC in New York, in an interview with Bloomberg

Television. ``U.S. demand has really been collapsing and dragging

the OECD demand as well and we might end up with a contraction

in global demand growth for the year.''

Crude oil for December delivery fell as much as 97 cents, or

1.8 percent, to $52.65 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

It was at $52.75 a barrel at 2:36 p.m. Singapore time. Yesterday,

futures touched $52.79 a barrel, the lowest since Jan. 23, 2007.