Oil prices fell on Monday as increases in OPEC production and US oil rig additions continued to weigh on the market.
Brent crude was down 57 cents at $42.96 a barrel on Monday, after reaching an intra-day high of $43.85 in earlier trade. US West Texas intermediate was 48 cents lower at $41.12 a barrel, after hitting an intra-day high of $41.88 earlier, CNBC reported.
"Sentiment remains quite negative following the price slump recently. It is negative because rebalancing takes longer than some market participants thought before," said Eugen Weinberg at Commerzbank.
"Reuters data shows yet another increase in OPEC production, helped by production hikes in Nigeria and Iraq. There is also data pointing to yet another increase in the rig count in the U.S," he added.
Last week, a Reuters survey showed that OPEC's oil production in July is likely to reach its highest in recent history.
On Monday, Iran's Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh said the oil market was oversupplied but said balance between demand and supply will be restored, Iranian state television reported.
"Prices remain under pressure but we think they are likely to find a floor at around $40 and increase to $50 by the year end," Weinberg said. French bank Societe Generale said that the global oil market has shifted from massive oversupply to broadly balanced in the second half of this year and first half of next year.
Analysts at the bank expect crude prices to bottom out in the high $30s and should not return to lows of $26-27 seen in the first quarter of this year. Earlier on Monday, Barclays said Brent crude has averaged $46.50 in the third quarter so far and could fall further from current price levels.
