Crude oil futures down on weak Asian cues

NEW DELHI: Crude oil futures today fell by Rs 42 to Rs 5,703 per barrel as speculators trimmed positions, tracking a weak trend in Asian trade.

At the Multi Commodity Exchange, crude oil for delivery in September traded Rs 42, or 0.73 per cent down at Rs 5703 per barrel in 4,911 lots.

Besides, oil for for-month October delivery moved down by Rs 35, or 0.61 per cent, to Rs 5,714 per barrel in 112 lots.

Analysts said the fall in crude prices at futures trade was primarily after it fell in the Asian trade as dealers digested downbeat Chinese manufacturing data and tracked the ebbing likelihood of supply disruptions in conflict-hit Iraq, Ukraine and Libya.

Meanwhile, West Texas Intermediate crude for October delivery eased 11 cents to $ 93.85, while Brent crude for October was down 10 cents to $ 102.53 a barrel in mid- morning trade on the New York Mercantile Exchange.