Oil edges down as traders weigh U.S. stock build, OPEC cuts

Brent crude futures were trading at $47.58 per barrel at 0041 GMT, down 43 cents, or 0.9 percent, from their last settlement. U.S. West Texas Intermediate futures were down 50 cents, or 1.1 percent, at $45.38 a barrel. Traders said the price falls on Monday and Friday were a result of increasing oil drilling activity in the United States, which indicated that producers can operate profitably around current levels.

NEW YORK: Oil prices ended less than 1% lower on Wednesday after data showed a build in U.S. crude inventories, reinforcing the view that oil prices are range bound, buoyed by expected OPEC production cuts while pressured by U.S. output growth.

U.S. crude futures for March delivery settled at US$52.75 a barrel, down 43 cents, after earlier dropping to as low as US$52.56 per barrel.