Oil prices slipped below $68 a barrel Tuesday as traders took profits on recent gains, which were driven by speculation that a massive global fiscal stimulus could spark an economic recovery and inflation.
Benchmark crude for July delivery was down 82 cents to $67.76 a barrel by noon in European electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. On Monday, the contract rose $2.27 to settle at $68.58, the highest close since early November.