Crude oil prices fall

Reuters

Singapore

Crude oil slid for a second session on Monday, falling further from last week's 2016 highs on concerns over a supply glut after the U.S rig count rose for the first time since December.

U.S. energy firms last week added one oil rig after 12 weeks of cuts, according to data by industry firm Baker Hughes. The addition, coming after oil rigs had fallen by two-thirds over the past year to 2009 lows, showed the fall in crude drilling stabilising after a 50 percent price rally since February.

U.S. crude fell 40 cents, or 1.0 percent, to $39.04 a barrel by 0001 GMT. The market on Friday climbed to $41.20 a barrel, its highest since early December, before losing ground to settle down nearly 2 percent at $39.44.

Over the past two months, prices have rallied after the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) floated the idea of a production freeze at January's levels.

Brent crude's front-month contract was down 12 cents at $41.08. It hit a high of $42.54 a barrel in the last session.