LONDON — Brent crude oil fell below $106 a barrel on Monday, snapping a two-day winning streak, after Libyan rebels occupying four eastern oil ports agreed to end an eight-month blockade, raising the prospect of increased supply to world markets.
A major advance for the north African exporter, the end to the port standoff is taking some of the supply worries off the market that helped push prices to a high of $112 for the year.
Brent crude fell $1.32 to a low of $105.40 a barrel before recovering to about $105.55 by 8.10am GMT, after ending the previous week 1.2% lower. US oil was down 64c to $100.50.
Libya’s Zueitina and Hariga ports, held by federalist rebels demanding more autonomy from Tripoli, will open immediately while the larger ports of Ras Lanuf and Es Sider will be freed in two to four weeks after more talks.
"The sell-off follows the Libyan news, but it is a little surprising because only two small ports will reopen at first and the more important ones will stay closed for some time," said Carsten Fritsch, senior commodities analyst at Commerzbank.
Further losses in oil were, however, checked by renewed tension in Ukraine, which raised concerns over the possibility of a deeper diplomatic rift between Russia and the West.
Pro-Russian protesters broke into state security headquarters in the eastern Ukrainian city of Luhansk, seizing weapons, and highway police closed down entrances into the city, local police said on Monday.
"If the Ukraine tension rises again it could lead to an escalation of sanctions, which would could be bullish for oil," Mr Fritsch said.
Markets were also keeping an eye on Iran, which is hoping to get Western sanctions lifted, allowing it to sell more oil.
The US dismissed suggestions that Iran was exporting much more oil than it is allowed to sell under a preliminary nuclear deal and predicted that aggregate Iranian oil sales would meet targets set for Tehran.
The remarks from a senior US official came ahead of a new round of senior-level negotiations between Iran and the US, Britain, France, Germany, China and Russia in Vienna on April 8-9.
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi was quoted as saying by Press TV that Iran hoped progress would be made at talks this week to allow for the drafting of an accord to settle a dispute over its nuclear programme.
Economic data were also supportive.
Strong US jobs growth added to a range of indicators from manufacturing and services sector activity to automobile sales signalling strength as the first quarter ended.
The promising economic indicators boosted expectations of strong petrol sales as the world’s top oil consumer, the US, enters the peak summer driving season.
