Oil prices turned lower in Asia on Monday, weighed by a slowdown in China's manufacturing sector and spending cuts in the United States, analysts said.

New York's main contract, light sweet crude for delivery in April dropped 29 cents to $90.39 a barrel in the afternoon and Brent North Sea crude for April delivery shed 17 cents to $110.23.China's official purchasing managers' index released Friday showed growth in manufacturing activity slowed last month, suggesting a recent pick-up in the world's number two economy is weaker than initially thought.

Sentiment was also hurt as across-the-board cuts of $85 billion in federal spending in the United States kicked in on Friday.Economists have warned that the cuts could lead to job losses and hinder growth in the still fragile economy, a key global economic engine.

The spending cuts "won't brighten the outlook for growth or the unemployment rate", DBS Group Research said in a report.US President Barack Obama on Saturday urged Congress to find a balanced approach by blending "smart" cuts with reforms.