Oil prices declined on Monday as investors focused on recovering Saudi shipments despite attacks by Iran-backed Yemeni Houthis. Brent crude futures fell 0.78% to $103.06 a barrel, while West Texas Intermediate dropped 0.89% to $99.41. Saudi exports recovered to just over 4 million barrels per day in September after falling to 2.4 million bpd in August, according to provisional Kpler data. Saudi oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz (strategic oil-shipping passage) also increased sharply, helping sustain Middle East oil flows despite disruption to the East-West pipeline. Diplomatic efforts involving China and Iran continued as Tehran and Washington remained at a stalemate.