# U.S. oil futures suffer largest weekly percentage loss in over a decade - MarketWatch

> US oil futures recorded their largest weekly percentage loss in more than a decade, with WTI down over 16% for the week and settling at $44.76 a barrel. Brent for April settled at $50.52 after falling 3.2% on Friday.

- Date: 2020-02-28 · published 2020-02-28T12:00:00.000Z
- Category: macro · region Global · magnitude high
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/7113-u-s-oil-futures-suffer-largest-weekly-percentage-loss-in-over-a-decade
- Commodities: [Crude Oil (WTI)](https://feedsoft.ai/c/WTI.md), [Crude Oil (Brent)](https://feedsoft.ai/c/BRENT.md)

## Why it matters

Market participants expect the virus to significantly dent crude demand, a shock large enough to lower energy costs across feed supply chains and weigh on biofuel-linked oilseed and corn values.

## Read by commodity

- WTI: bearish ▼
- BRENT: bearish ▼

## Linked price moves

| Commodity | Date | Window | Change % | z-score | Why linked |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| BRENT | 2020-02-28 | 5 | -13.0% | -4.1 | Reports the record weekly oil loss ending Feb 28, with Brent settling at $50.52, which is the move itself and reflects coronavirus demand fears. |
| BRENT | 2020-03-09 | 5 | -30.3% | -10.0 | Record weekly oil losses ending Feb 28 on coronavirus demand fears weakened the price base before the 5-day window, though they fall mostly before it. |

## Similar past events

| Commodity | Date | Event | 5-day % | 20-day % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| WTI | 2025-12-10 | [Diesel Futures Slide as ULSD Market Weakens and Inventories Rise Across Global Oil Markets - oftrb.com](https://feedsoft.ai/events/21714-diesel-futures-slide-as-ulsd-market-weakens-and-inventories-rise-across-global.md) | -5.1% | -1.0% |
| WTI | 2024-05-03 | [Oil settles down on US jobs data, steepest weekly loss in 3 months \| Reuters](https://feedsoft.ai/events/7229-oil-settles-down-on-us-jobs-data-steepest-weekly-loss-in-3-months-reuters.md) | +0.4% | -3.0% |
| WTI | 2025-09-29 | [Talk of OPEC+ output quota increase sets crude prices up for their biggest daily loss since June - MarketWatch](https://feedsoft.ai/events/23041-talk-of-opec-output-quota-increase-sets-crude-prices-up-for-their-biggest-daily.md) | -7.3% | -6.4% |
| WTI | 2021-03-19 | [Oil prices post deepest weekly loss since October, yet banks remain bullish](https://feedsoft.ai/events/6204-oil-prices-post-deepest-weekly-loss-since-october-yet-banks-remain-bullish.md) | -2.4% | +5.3% |
| WTI | 2018-12-20 | [Oil plunges nearly 5 percent to 17-month low as stock market slumps](https://feedsoft.ai/events/8704-oil-plunges-nearly-5-percent-to-17-month-low-as-stock-market-slumps.md) | -6.7% | +12.5% |
| BRENT | 2025-12-10 | [Diesel Futures Slide as ULSD Market Weakens and Inventories Rise Across Global Oil Markets - oftrb.com](https://feedsoft.ai/events/21714-diesel-futures-slide-as-ulsd-market-weakens-and-inventories-rise-across-global.md) | -4.6% | +0.6% |
| BRENT | 2024-05-03 | [Oil settles down on US jobs data, steepest weekly loss in 3 months \| Reuters](https://feedsoft.ai/events/7229-oil-settles-down-on-us-jobs-data-steepest-weekly-loss-in-3-months-reuters.md) | -0.8% | -4.4% |
| BRENT | 2025-09-29 | [Talk of OPEC+ output quota increase sets crude prices up for their biggest daily loss since June - MarketWatch](https://feedsoft.ai/events/23041-talk-of-opec-output-quota-increase-sets-crude-prices-up-for-their-biggest-daily.md) | -7.5% | -6.8% |

## Sources

- marketwatch.com: https://www.marketwatch.com/story/global-oil-benchmark-falls-to-2-12-year-low-as-coronavirus-sparks-demand-fears-2020-02-28

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Data from Feedsoft AI (https://feedsoft.ai/). For information only; not investment advice.