Oil prices rebounded Thursday on bargain hunting following sharp falls the previous day, but analysts said markets would continue to be weighed down by signs of weaker demand for crude. Brent North Sea crude for delivery in June rose 75 cents to $100.70 a barrel approaching midday in London. New York's main contract, light sweet crude for June was up 37 cents to $91.40 a barrel. Both contracts had closed down by more than $2.40 Wednesday on fresh signs of economic weakness in the United States and China -- the world's largest crude consumers.

BANGKOK - The price of oil fell to near US$93 a barrel Friday ahead of quarterly growth figures from the world's biggest economy. Benchmark oil for June delivery was down 62 cents to $93.02 per barrel at midday Bangkok time in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract rose $2.21 to close at $93.64 on Thursday after the U.S. Labor Department said the number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits fell last week by 16,000, suggesting that layoffs have declined.

Oil prices fell in Asia on Monday as weak economic data from the United States sparked concerns over softer demand for crude, analysts said. New York's main contract, light sweet crude for delivery in June was down 29 cents to $92.71 a barrel and Brent North Sea crude for June delivery shed 46 cents to $102.70 in afternoon trade. "The weak (US) GDP data questions business conditions in the market, signalling that inventories may rise as demand softens," said Desmond Chua, market analyst at CMC Markets in Singapore.

Oil prices eased in Asia on Friday as traders cashed in recent gains following signs of strengthening US energy demand and concerns over Syria, analysts said. New York's main contract, light sweet crude for delivery in June dropped 62 cents to $93.02 a barrel in the afternoon Brent North Sea crude for June delivery shed 53 cents to $102.88. "There has been a slight pullback in prices on profit taking," Michael McCarthy, chief market strategist at CMC Markets in Sydney, told AFP.