Oil prices fall as weak Japan data exposes market jitters over fragile demand

MELBOURNE: Oil prices fell in early trade on Tuesday after weak Japanese industrial production data, not usually a market-moving factor, was enough to jangle trader nerves over a bumpy recovery in fuel demand as coronavirus pandemic restrictions ease.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude CLc1 futures briefly traded higher then fell 38 cents, or 1%, to $39.32 a barrel by 0038 GMT, after climbing 3% on Monday.