Oil declines as US concerns resurface

London: Oil fell more than a dollar on Tuesday, pressured by fund selling and equity market weakness in response to fears of an economic slowdown in top energy consumer the United States.

US light crude for March delivery was $1.50 lower at $88.52 a barrel by 1458 GMT, after a gain on Monday of $1.06.

London Brent crude fell $1.45 cents to $89.02.

A series of bullish factors had helped oil prices advance above $90 a barrel on Monday, including shipping delays into the United States caused by fog in the Houston Ship Channel, attacks by Turkey on northern Iraq and an armed raid by militants on an oil pipeline hub in Nigeria.

But these ultimately did not outweigh worries about the broader economic outlook.

"It's pressure from fund liquidation brought on by the bearish economic fundamentals that could mean lower demand for oil," said Christopher Bellew, senior vice-president at Bache Commodities.

Major US equity indexes fell more than one per cent after publication of data that showed a big contraction in the US economy's huge service sector.

"That's more fodder for a recession argument," said Joe Saluzzi, co-manager of trading at Themis Trading.

Gold, which has benefited from turmoil in the equity markets, was also under pressure and fell more than one per cent, as profit taking kicked in after last week's all-time high.

Oil reached a record of $100.09 a barrel on January 3, partly due to expectations that oil supplies will struggle to keep pace in the long-term with demand from high growth economies such as India and China.

Prices are now around $10 below those highs, largely because of fears of a recession in the United States that could mean lower oil consumption.

But some analysts say shifts in the oil price curve, which projects the price into the future, suggest a US recession may already be discounted.