Oil prices dipped on Thursday as surging Covid-19 cases in China dimmed hopes of a recovery in fuel demand for the world's largest crude oil importer. Brent futures for February fell 26 cents, or 0.3 per cent, to $83.00 a barrel by 0430 GMT, while US crude fell 26 cents, or 0.3pc, to $78.70 a barrel. The scale of the latest outbreak and doubts over official data prompted some countries to en