US Treasury Secretary John Snow said on Thursday that record-high oil prices threaten to slow US economic growth although the economy has shrugged off their impact so far.

"There's no doubt about the fact they create headwinds for the economy," Snow told the CNBC financial news network.

"So far the economy has really absorbed these high prices well and I think we can continue to do so. But they certainly don't help, (they are) a negative for the economy," he said.

If such high energy prices persist, "they clearly will have some negative effects on the rate of GDP growth."

Oil price hit 66 dollars a barrel in New York for the first time on Thursday and

New York crude futures have now risen almost 3.70 dollars in less than a week owing to huge speculative buying, sky-high global demand and shutdowns at strained US refineries.

Source: Xinhua