Crude futures settle lower

NEW YORK, May 23 (Xinhua) -- Oil prices fell on Thursday.

The West Texas Intermediate for July delivery dropped 70 cents, or 0.9 percent, to settle at 76.87 U.S. dollars a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Brent crude for July delivery lost 54 cents, or 0.66 percent, to settle at 81.36 dollars a barrel on the London ICE Futures Exchange.