U. S. crude oil futures prices closed at their lowest level in more than a week on Tuesday in the early hours of Beijing time. Market participants believe that the stronger dollar and profit-taking put pressure on oil prices.

Analyst Michael Lynch said Tuesday's fall in crude oil futures prices was strange because strong overseas crude oil imports in August and US crude oil production had not yet fully recovered from the damage caused by Hurricane Ida, which could push crude oil prices higher.

He said the market was worried that the Delta mutation could further hamper economic growth, but he did not think that would happen. He speculated that the fall in oil prices today was due to profit-taking trading triggered by "reports of a reduction in the price of crude oil exported by Saudi Arabia to Asia".

On Tuesday, West Texas Intermediate (WTI) for October delivery fell 94 cents, or 1.4%, to $68.35 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.