Oil prices dip as prospect of deeper Opec output cut dims

Oil slipped to one-week lows Monday, as several OPEC and non-OPEC ministers met to discuss a pact to curb oil output but the prospect of the group delivering deeper cuts grew more distant.

Brent September crude futures fell 18 cents on the day to $47.88 a barrel by 0850 GMT. The price fell 2.5 percent on Friday after a consultancy forecast a rise in OPEC production for July.

NYMEX crude for September delivery fell 20 cents to $45.57 a barrel.

"Deeper production cuts have been ruled out, but on the agenda will be caps for exempted OPEC members Libya and Nigeria," PVM Oil Associates analyst Stephen Brennock said.

"Faith in the oil market rebalancing is waning by the day and the sooner the Saudis admit the need to do more, the sooner prices can begin their journey on the road to recovery," he said.

Several ministers from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and other non-OPEC producers are meeting in the Russian city of St Petersburg to review market conditions and examine any proposals related to their pact to cut output.

Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih said there would be no discussion of deeper oil output cuts, but said there would be a discussion on output caps for Nigeria and Libya.
READ MORE