SINGAPORE — Oil prices rose above $97 a barrel today in Asia after U.S. lawmakers struck a last-minute agreement to raise the debt limit, avoiding a default.

Oil prices sputtered down from near $100 last week amid investor concern a U.S. debt default could trigger a recession and hurt crude demand.

Crude also dropped last week because of evidence U.S. economic growth is slowing. The U.S. Commerce Department said Friday that the world’s biggest economy grew at an annual rate of only 1.3 percent in the second quarter.

“Friday’s GDP data could charitably be described as shocking,” energy consultant The Schork Group said.

Two reports released today showed manufacturing slowed in July in China, the world’s second-largest crude consumer. Investors will be watching data about U.S. manufacturing, auto sales and unemployment this week.