Oil prices fell Tuesday in New York as markets fretted about weaker-than-expected economic data from the United States, the world's biggest consumer of crude.

New York's main contract, West Texas Intermediate crude for delivery in March, ended the session at $98.48 a barrel, down 30 cents from Monday's closing level.

Across the Atlantic, Brent North Sea crude for March delivery edged up 12 cents to $110.87 a barrel in London.

The New York benchmark contract made gains earlier amid growing optimism that Greece was homing in on a deal with private creditors to avert a sovereign debt default.

But the market did an about-face after fresh data showed US consumer confidence dropped in January and prices in the depressed housing market fell for the fifth month running in November.

The disappointing numbers raised concerns about the strength of US energy demand.

"Data that came out today said that we're not as strong as we thought we were, so that kind of takes away some of the momentum," said Phil Flynn at PFG Best.

Crude oil prices earlier had been buoyed by Japan, a major oil importer, which said that household spending had risen for the first time since the devastating March 11 earthquake and tsunami last year.

Traders were also closely watching the latest efforts by European Union leaders to resolve Greece's woes with a massive new debt relief deal.

Prices also were underpinned by escalating tensions between Sudan and South Sudan, which said Sunday it was suspending oil production after it accused Khartoum of stealing $815 million of its crude.

At issue are pipeline fees to transport the landlocked South's oil to port via the rump state of Sudan.

UN chief Ban Ki-moon said Sunday that tensions and the oil row had become a major threat to regional peace and security.