Oil prices rose on Monday in volatile trade as this week's OPEC meeting raised the specter of production increases and as investors assessed the impact of a trade dispute between the United States and China.
U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude ended Monday's session up 79 cents, or 1.2 percent, to $65.85, after earlier touching a two-month low at $63.59 per barrel. Brent crude futures rose $1.88, or 2.6 percent, to $75.32 per barrel by 2:29 p.m. ET.
U.S. crude's discount to Brent widened to as much as $9.73 a barrel, after narrowing Friday. China's trade restrictions could leave the growing volumes of U.S. crude from shale without a buyer, traders said. While the volumes would ultimately get shipped elsewhere, absent China the price could be depressed, traders said.
Brent hit a 3½-year high above $80 a barrel in May but has since eased back on reports that top suppliers Saudi Arabia and Russia will increase production.