U.S. crude below $60, first time in five years

U.S. crude futures fell below $60 a barrel on Thursday, the first time in five years that it breached the psychologically-important support, as oil markets extended this week's losses on oversupply concerns.

New York Mercantile Exchange's front-month West Texas Intermediate contract for U.S. crude was down 96 cents at $59.98 a barrel by 2:18 p.m. EST after touching a session low at $59.85.

The contract has lost almost 9 percent this week and roughly 45 percent from a June high above $107.