Oil prices extended losses on Wednesday, hit by a surprise build in oil inventories in the United States and as OPEC and its allies left markets in limbo by delaying a formal meeting to decide whether to increase output in January.
Brent crude oil futures were down by 27 cents, or 0.6 per cent, at $47.15 a barrel by 0131 GMT, while West Texas Intermediate crude was down by 29 cents, or 0.7 per cent, at $44.26.
Industry data from the American Petroleum Institute showed US crude inventories rose by 4.1 million barrels last week, compared with analysts’ expectations in a Reuters poll for a draw of 2.4 million barrels.
The numbers came after the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), Russia and other allies, a group known as OPEC+, postponed talks on next year’s oil output policy to Thursday from Tuesday, sources said.
