By Arpan Mukherjee Crude oil futures slipped in Asia as investors turned cautious ahead of several data releases and policy meetings of the U.S. Federal Reserve and European Central Bank. Crude oil prices are likely to be rangebound ahead of the Fed's mid-week meet, which could provide a clearer indication of when the bank will begin slowing its stimulus measures, analysts say. On the New York Mercantile Exchange, light, sweet crude futures for delivery in September traded at $104.22 a barrel at 0630 GMT, down 46 cents in the Globex electronic session. September Brent crude on London's ICE Futures exchange fell 19 cents to $106.98/bbl. "We don't expect much change in policy, but we will note increasing worries over curtailed bond purchases as early as this fall in view of generally favorable economic guidance," oil trading advisory firm Ritterbusch & Associates said in a report. It expects Nymex crude prices to be $103 to $106 a barrel for "some time." Concern of slower economic growth could put pressure on prices, but geo-political tension in the Middle East and falling inventories could act as support, analysts said. Meanwhile, recognition by Saudi Arabia that its oil exports may continue to suffer in light of increasing U.S. shale oil production may have further damped sentiment, OCBC Bank said in a report. King Abdullah's nephew, Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, sent letters to officials saying global demand for the kingdom's oil is declining, and urging revenue diversification and investment in nuclear and solar energy to cover local consumption, AFP reported Sunday. Oil minister Ali Al-Naimi disagreed, OCBC Bank said in its report without elaborating. At 0630 GMT, Nymex reformulated gasoline blendstock for August--the benchmark gasoline contract--was down 22 points from Friday's settlement at $3.0422 a gallon; August heating oil traded at $3.0086, down 15 points; and ICE gasoil for August was at $910 a metric ton, down $0.50.

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