LONDON: Oil prices edged lower on Wednesday as a large, surprise build in US gasoline stocks and worries about the outlook for US interest rates next year outweighed easing supply concerns from a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hezbollah.

Brent crude futures were down 42 cents, or 0.6 per cent, to $72.39 a barrel by 1:20pm ET (1820 GMT). US West Texas Intermediate crude slipped 51 cents, or 0.7pc, to $68.26. US gasoline stocks rose by 3.3 million barrels in the week to 212.2 million barrels, the Energy Information Administration said, compared with analysts’ expectations in a Reuters poll for a draw of 46,000 barrels. Crude stocks fell by 1.8 million barrels in the week ended Nov. 22, the EIA added, compared with analysts’ expectations in a Reuters poll for a draw of 605,000 barrels. Market sources, citing the American Petroleum Institute, had said on Tuesday that oil inventories fell by 5.94 million barrels and fuel inventories rose last week.

Published in Dawn, November 28th, 2024