Crude-oil futures fell in Asian trading hours Monday as data showing weak manufacturing activity in China and lower demand with easing of a severe U.S winter weighed on trading sentiment. On the New York Mercantile Exchange, light, sweet crude futures for delivery in May traded at $99.10 per barrel at 0456 GMT, down 25 cents. May Brent crude on London’s ICE Futures exchange fell 27 cents to $106.65 a barrel. China’s preliminary HSBC Purchasing Managers’ Index was below 50–indicating a contraction in manufacturing–for the third straight month, slipping below expectations for a slight improvement after the effects of the Lunar New Year holiday over the first two months of the year. “This is obviously not supportive for markets,” said Yusuke Seta, a commodities broker at Newedge Japan. He added that the U.S crude oil demand has softened with the easing of severe winter conditions. “Demand […]