Crude Prices Fall After OPEC+ Agrees To Raise Output Targets

Oil prices fell Monday after OPEC+ agreed to further increase its output targets from August.

Exports from key producers via the Strait of Hormuz are also recovering, potentially adding to global supplies.

Brent crude futures fell 41 cents, or 0.57%, to $71.71 a barrel in early trading after settling 0.45% higher on friday. U.S. West Texas intermediate crude was at $68.32 a barrel, down 37 cents, or 0.54%. There was no settlement for WTI on Friday as U.S. markets were closed ahead of the independence day holiday on Saturday.

Both contracts were little changed last week after mostly falling over the past few weeks, as investors kept a close eye on talks between the U.S. and Iran over the fate of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz while keeping tabs on the recovery in gulf oil exports.

OPEC and their allies including Russia agreed on Sunday to further increase output targets by 188,000 barrels per day from August, on top of similar increases for June and July.