Oil drifts near 2018 highs ahead of OPEC+ meeting | Reuters

Oil drifts near 2018 highs ahead of OPEC+ meeting | Reuters

Oil prices hit and then recoiled from highs last seen in October 2018 on Monday as investors eyed the outcome of this week's OPEC+ meeting as the United States and Iran wrangle over the revival of a nuclear deal, delaying a surge in Iranian oil exports.

Brent crude for August had slipped 1 cent to $76.17 a barrel by 0619 GMT while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude for August was at $74.09 a barrel, up 4 cents.

Oil prices rose for a fifth week last week as fuel demand rebounded on strong economic growth and increased travel during summer in the northern hemisphere, while global crude supplies stayed snug as the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and their allies maintained production cuts.

The producer group, known as OPEC+, is returning 2.1 million barrels per day (bpd) to the market from May through July as part of a plan to gradually unwind last year's record oil output curbs. OPEC+ meets on July 1 and could further ease supply cuts in August as oil prices rise on demand recovery.