Oil prices eased on Wednesday on worries that crude demand growth would slow, which ate into recent gains that had brought prices to multi-year highs in recent sessions.
Analysts noted that some traders likely took profits in U.S. crude after West Texas Intermediate (WTI) futures hit their highest since October 2014 during the past three sessions.
Brent futures fell 24 cents, or 0.3%, to settle at $83.18 a barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude fell 20 cents, or 0.3%, to $80.44.
Prices came under pressure early when China, the world’s biggest crude importer, released data showing September imports fell 15% from a year earlier.
