Oil prices edge lower as US pushes OPEC to boost crude output

LONDON (Reuters) -Oil slipped on Tuesday as OPEC and allies geared up for a meeting on Wednesday amid calls from the United States to pump more crude, although Brent still traded well above $70 per barrel.

Prices were also under pressure from concerns that power outages and flooding in Louisiana after Hurricane Ida will cut crude demand from refineries.

Crude was also weighed down by weaker manufacturing data from China, where factory activity expanded at a slower pace in August compared with the previous month.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were down 56 cents, or 0.8%, at $68.65 a barrel as of 1140 GMT.