Crude futures settle lower

NEW YORK, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Oil prices inched down on Wednesday.

The West Texas Intermediate for May delivery lost 27 cents, or 0.33 percent, to settle at 81.35 U.S. dollars a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Brent crude for May delivery dropped 16 cents, or 0.19 percent, to settle at 86.09 dollars a barrel on the London ICE Futures Exchange.