Oil eases as weak demand tempers bullish Saudi energy minister comments

By Ahmad Ghaddar LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices eased on Monday after comments by Saudi Energy Minister Khaled Al-Faleh that the market was heading towards balance were tempered by signs of slowing demand in Asia. U.S. crude futures were flat at $48.99 per barrel. The energy minister of Saudi Arabia, the world's top crude exporter, and the secretary general of producer club OPEC agreed that global oil markets were heading towards balance, and that prices reflected this.