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    Oil prices ease back after surge

    Oil prices retreated Monday as traders took profits following a pre-weekend surge on positive jobs data from the United States, the world's biggest consumer of crude.

    Brent North Sea crude for delivery in September dropped 36 cents to $108.58 a barrel in London afternoon deals.

    New York's main contract, West Texas Intermediate (WTI) light sweet crude for September, fell 30 cents to $91.10.

    "Mild profit-taking is being seen, with Brent and WTI easing back from Friday's highs," said Sucden Financial Research analyst Jack Pollard.

    A rally on Friday saw WTI prices surge more than four dollars to pass $91 a barrel, while Brent rose more than three dollars to within striking distance of $109.

    Crude prices were weaker "after rallying on a stronger-than-expected US jobs report, while the market awaited Chinese trade data due later this week for trading cues," Phillip Futures said in a report.

    On traders' watchlist for this week is the release of a slew of economic data from China which will provide an update on the economic health of the world's largest energy consumer.

    Market Data

    • Currencies
      Currencies
      NamePriceChange% Chg
      0.96510.00+0.01%
      AUDUSD=X
      0.63800.00+0.04%
      AUDGBP=X
      0.74610.00+0.03%
      AUDEUR=X
    • Commodities
      Commodities
      NamePriceChange% Chg
      1,453.60-8.80-0.60%
      GCJ13.CMX
      28.58-0.21-0.73%
      SIH13.CMX
      3.450.02+0.51%
      HGH13.CMX
      93.300.34+0.37%
      CLJ13.NYM