RTRS:Oil falls below $113 on Europe polls, weak US data
* European elections prompt re-think of euro risks
* Riskier assets fall broadly after euro zone elections
* Brent touches $110.34, lowest in more than three months
* U.S. crude plunges to $95.34, weakest since Dec. 20
(Adds Greece coalition efforts, updates prices)
By Zaida Espana
LONDON, May 7 (Reuters) - Oil dropped to four-month lows
below $113 a barrel on Monday, on worries that election results
in Europe could thwart efforts to contain the euro zone debt
crisis and after weak U.S. jobs data prompted concern about oil
demand growth.
Oil prices, which have fallen for four straight sessions,
suffered a sell-off on Friday after data showing U.S. nonfarm
hiring slowed for a second month in a row in April, fuelling
fears of falling demand in the world's top oil consumer.
This was compounded by the outcome of elections in France
and Greece that raised concerns over their ability to implement
further austerity measures seen as key to tackle the region's
debt crisis.
"Optimists who recently believed that most of the risks
concerning the euro were already 'priced in' are now discovering
that this is by no means the case," said Commerzbank analysts
Carsten Fritsch and Eugen Weinberg in a note.
"The results of the elections in Greece and France are
evidence that voters are not willing to pay for the severe
programmes of austerity measures.
"We believe that this will weigh on the euro, market
sentiment and commodity prices for some time to come."
By 1112 GMT, Brent crude futures lost 25 cents to
$112.93 a barrel, after touching a low of $110.34, the weakest
since late January. The benchmark contract fell 2.5 percent on
Friday.
U.S. crude futures were down 61 cents at $97.88 a
barrel, after dropping to as low as $95.34, its weakest since
Dec. 20, 2011. U.S. oil fell by around 4 percent on Friday, its
biggest drop since December, to break below $100 for the first
time since February.
"In France, the victory of Socialist candidate (Francois)
Hollande will be closely watched by markets in particular,
following his announcements of a turning away from austerity
policies throughout his election campaign," JBC Energy
consultants said in a note.
French voters ousted Nicolas Sarkozy, an architect of
bailouts for indebted countries and an advocate of austerity
measures, in Sunday's presidential vote.
Brent is on track for a four-day loss of around 6 percent,
its biggest since August last year, while U.S. crude is headed
for a decline of over 8 percent in the same period, the largest
such drop in over six months.
"Expectations on the outcome of the elections might have
already contributed to the downwards slide in oil prices late
last week," the JBC analysts added, "as concerns about the
eurozone's willingness to carry out full-hearted austerity
measures lingered".
In Greece, consensus-building appeared challenging after the
leader of the Democratic Left party Fotis Kouvelis, which
secured 6.1 percent of the votes on Sunday's election, refused
to join any pro-bailout coalition of the conservative New
Democracy and Socialist PASOK parties.
Greek voters turned against the traditional parties at the
urns as they protest against troika-sanctioned austerity
measures, key to securing the country's financial future within
the euro zone.
The election outcome in the euro zone saw some investors
turning risk-averse. The U.S. dollar gained around 0.3 percent
against a basket of currencies on Monday, weighing on
dollar-denominated assets like oil and gold.
SUPPLY FEARS EASE
Higher supply from the 12-member Organization of the
Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), which is pumping 32.3
million barrels per day (bpd) - 2.3 million bpd more than OPEC's
target of 30 million bpd, also weighed on oil prices.
The extra OPEC oil has offset a decline in exports from
Iran, which is facing stiffening Western sanctions over its
disputed nuclear energy programme.
"We maintain that the path of least resistance for oil is
down, especially as bearish catalysts continue to emerge," said
analysts at Morgan Stanley in a report on Monday. "Lacklustre
macroeconomic conditions, easing global tensions and bearish
fundamentals have already started to weigh on oil prices."
Brent is now lower than it was in early November, when a
U.N. report on Iran's nuclear programme stirred new action
against Tehran.
"Iran remains a risk, but risks may be abating," the Morgan
Stanley analysts wrote.
Iran and major powers resumed talks in mid-April in Istanbul
after a gap of more than a year, during which time the United
States and European Union stepped up efforts to curb Tehran's
nuclear ambitions through new sanctions and an oil embargo which
come into effect over the summer. They are to meet again on May
23 in Baghdad.