IN BRIEF (Page 17)

Crude oil falls below $49

Oil prices drifted below $49 a barrel as investors took profits on the rally of recent days and returned their focus to the weak state of the global economy and crude demand.

Benchmark crude for April delivery was down 53 cents to $48.63 a barrel near midday in Europe on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Prices rose $1.81 a barrel on Tuesday to settle at $49.16. In London, Brent prices fell 52 cents to $47.72 on the ICE Futures exchange.