Oil falls on China growth concerns even as EU weighs Russia import ban

MELBOURNE – Oil prices fell on Monday in holiday-sapped trade in Asia as concerns about slowing economic growth in China, the world’s top oil importer, outweighed fears of potential supply disruptions from a looming European Union ban on Russian crude.

Brent crude futures fell $1.21, or 1.1%, to $105.93 a barrel at 0205 GMT, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures fell 99 cents, or 1%, to $103.70 a barrel. Markets in Japan, India and across Southeast Asia were closed for public holidays on Monday.

Prices fell after China released data on Saturday showing that factory activity in the world’s second-largest economy contracted for a second month to its lowest since February 2020 because of COVID lockdowns.

“A slowing to that extent, when China is already suffering from a property bust and worries about its (until recently) increased regulation, is potentially a major issue for commodity markets and the world economy,” said Tobin Gorey, a Commonwealth Bank commodities analyst, in a note.