* Strong U.S., Chinese economic data supports prices
* Oil slumped in previous session on rising OPEC+ supply
* Rebound in Iran exports unlikely to shock markets -Goldman
(Updates prices, market activity, adds commentary; changes
byline, dateline, previous LONDON)
By Stephanie Kelly
NEW YORK, April 6 (Reuters) - Strong economic data from
China and the United States helped to lift oil prices by 2% on
Tuesday, recouping some of the previous session's losses.
Brent LCOc1 gained $1.11, or 1.8%, to $63.26 a barrel by
11:53 a.m. EDT (1553 GMT). U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI)
crude CLc1 rose $1.16, or 2%, to $59.81 a barrel.
Prices were buoyed as March data showed U.S. services
activity touched a record high. China's service sector has also
gathered steam with the sharpest increase in sales in three
months. In addition, England is set to ease more coronavirus
restrictions on April 12, allowing businesses including all
shops, gyms, hair salons and outdoor hospitality venues to
reopen. The market is recovering from steep losses on Monday, when
both oil price benchmarks fell by about $3 on Monday because of
increasing OPEC+ oil supply and rising COVID-19 infections in
India and parts of Europe.
The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)
and allies, known as OPEC+, agreed last week to bring back
350,000 barrels per day (bpd) of supply in May, another 350,000
bpd in June and a further 400,000 bpd or so in July.
"Although OPEC+ went against what most market participants
and its own research team thought, raising its oil output
significantly over the next three months, the market is now
signalling that it is OK with it and is ready to benefit from
the lack of uncertainty that a month-to-month update would have
brought," said Louise Dickson, Rystad Energy's oil markets
analyst.
Coronavirus-related deaths worldwide crossed 3 million on
Tuesday, according to a Reuters tally, as the global resurgence
of infections challenges vaccination efforts around the globe.
New restrictions in Europe also weighed on prices.
"This will likely raise concerns over demand, given that, at
the moment, a large part of the constructive outlook for the oil
market is based on the assumption that we see a strong demand
recovery over the second half of this year," ING analyst Warren
Patterson said.
Investors are also focusing on indirect talks between the
United States and Iran in Vienna to revive the 2015 nuclear deal
between Tehran and world powers, which could lead to Washington
lifting sanctions on Iran's energy sector.
Goldman Sachs said any potential recovery in Iranian oil
exports would not be a shock to the market, and full recovery
would not occur until summer 2022. Meanwhile, tensions between Saudi Arabia and India simmered.
Indian state refiners plan to buy 36% less oil from Saudi Arabia
in May than normal, three sources said. <^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
FACTBOX-Indirect U.S.-Iran talks aim to chart way back to 2015
nuclear deal ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^>