NEW YORK, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- Crude oil prices dropped below 52 U.S. dollars a barrel after climbing over 53 dollars on Monday.

    Light, sweet crude for February delivery fell 86 cents to 51.13 dollars a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

    In the earlier session today, the February contract trade had reached 53.44 dollars a barrel.

    Crude prices rebounded Friday after hit a 15-month-low due to unusually warm winter and a rise on U.S. crude inventories.

    March Brent crude on London's ICE Futures exchange fell 74 cents at 52.70 dollars a barrel.

    Oil prices have slid sharply in 2007, mainly caused by mild weather all over the world.