SINGAPORE: Oil prices slipped in Asian trade Thursday with weak employment figures from United States and the eurozone weighing on the market, analysts said.
Softer US energy demand also helped dampen sentiment.
New York's main contract, West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude for delivery in June was down 13 cents at $105.09 per barrel while Brent North Sea crude for June was one cent down at $118.19.
Bearishness over the US economic recovery was exacerbated as payrolls firm ADP reported that private-sector hiring in the world's biggest economy fell more than 40 percent in April from March.
ADP reported businesses added only 119,000 jobs in April, far below Wall Street expectations of 170,000. Compounding the soft job picture was a sharp downward revision of the March number to 209,000.
Attention will now turn to Friday's official April numbers on the nation's employment and job growth, which includes both the private and public sectors. (AFP)