Brent crude climbed towards $99/B on Monday as failed labor talks in Norway stoked worries of a total output shutdown. China showed annual consumer inflation cooling further in June, leaving room for Beijing to ease policy without stoking upward price pressures and help most commodities recover from steep losses triggered by bleak US jobs data in the previous session. Brent rose 62 cents to $98.81/B, while US crude was up 45 cents to $84.90/B.