Oil slips in divided market

Singapore - Oil prices eased in Asia on Tuesday as dealers weighed China's fresh monetary stimulus against a supply glut in the United States, analysts said.

US benchmark West Texas Intermediate for May delivery declined 21 cents to $56.17 while Brent crude for June fell 21 cents to $63.24 in late-morning trade.

"The oil market is being pushed in two directions with the stimulus action by China going against the oversupply situation of crude in the United States," Michael McCarthy, chief market strategist at CMC Markets in Sydney, told AFP.

The People's Bank of China on Sunday cut by one percentage point the amount of cash lenders must keep in reserve, the second reduction this year and the latest easing measure aimed at kickstarting the world's number-two economy.

It has also cut interest rates twice since November.

Despite prices being lifted slightly on hopes that the Chinese stimulus will spur demand, McCarthy said dealers remained concerned over surging US production.

This is despite reports last week indicating that US shale oil output may be on the cusp of easing, he said.

"We expect the US stockpiles report (on Wednesday) to reflect an increase by three to four million barrels of production this week, a rebound from last week's modest numbers," McCarthy said.

The Department of Energy last week said US oil production fell by 20 000 barrels to 9.38 million barrels per day, in the week ending April 10.

Analysts said the decline should help ease the global crude oversupply, which led to a collapse in prices of more than 50% between June and January.

The market has remained volatile since then as traders try to determine whether lower prices will eventually curb output or that demand will pick up.