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How does this oil price spike compare with history?

The current spike in oil prices has inevitably led to comparisons with other episodes when prices have surged over a relatively short period. The last five such episodes were all followed by global recessions. The more we look at these comparisons, the less relevant they seem today. Nonetheless, for some fragile economies – such as the UK and Japan – a longer period of high oil prices could be a tipping point.

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