Oil Price Reverses Gains as OPEC Meeting Remains Uncertain

© AFP 2023 / ALEXANDER KLEIN / FILEThe press conference room of the OPEC (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries) is seen at the organization's headquarter on the eve of the 164th OPEC meeting in Vienna, Austria on December 3, 2013
The press conference room of the OPEC (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries) is seen at the organization's headquarter on the eve of the 164th OPEC meeting in Vienna, Austria on December 3, 2013 - Sputnik International
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The rebound in oil prices stalled on Monday, with the Brent crude benchmark losing over four percent and falling to almost $34 per barrel.

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MOSCOW (Sputnik) — After staging an almost two-week long rally, oil prices tended downwards in Monday's afternoon trading. WTI crude showed the largest decline of over five percent, falling from a morning peak of $34.07 per barrel to less than $32 per barrel by 17:20 GMT. Brent peaked at almost $36 per barrel around noon before plunging rapidly to $34.24 per barrel by 17:40 GMT.

Brent April 2016 futures showed a similar decline, falling by almost five percent from a previous close of $35.99 per barrel to $34.21 per barrel by 17:30 GMT. WTI March 2016 futures were down over six percent, falling from a close of $33.62 per barrel to less than $32 per barrel by 17:30 GMT.

OPEC's failure to announce a meeting on the issue of stemming plunging prices and curbing production has put downward pressure on oil prices. Thursday's announcement by Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak on Russia's readiness to take part in an OPEC meeting together with other non-cartel countries has not been backed up by OPEC, while Saudi Arabia rejected allegations of an agreement among oil producing countries to cut production by 5 percent.

China's economy has also undermined the rally, with its Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI), which measures private sector company variables such as output, new orders, prices and employment, sliding from 49.7 in December to 49.4 in January. The index has now reached its lowest point since August 2012. Earlier January, China reported its 2015 GDP increase to be the lowest in over 20 years.

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