Crude prices fell in Asia Tuesday after data showed US manufacturing activity contracted last month, while dealers grow concerned at the lack of progress on a deal to avert the fiscal cliff. New York’s main contract, light sweet crude for delivery in January delivery fell 18 cents to $88.91 a barrel and Brent North Sea crude for January shed 14 cents to $110.78. “On the energy markets, oil continued to edge down on the disappointing US” data, IG Markets said in a report. “Last night traders suffered the double whammy of weak US economic data combined with another impasse in budget talks as Democrats rejected the latest Republican proposal.”
