Crude Oil is trading today in the European session below the $78 level.
Crude prices remained mostly unchanged on Friday and were heading for monthly losses due to concerns that tight monetary policy could weaken demand this year and a drop in China's manufacturing activity in May.
The National Bureau of Statistics reported that the purchasing managers' index (PMI) fell to 49.5 from April's 50.4, missing the expected 50.5. Both new orders and foreign sales declined during the month.
In the U.S., EIA data showed a 4.2 million barrel decrease in commercial crude oil inventories for the week ending May 24, surpassing the expected 1.6 million barrel decline, while gasoline inventories increased.