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Oil rates fall on stronger dollar, weak United States gasoline demand

Oil prices succumbed to the 2nd successive session on Wednesday as the dollar reinforced and federal government data showed a surprise jump in U.S. crude and gas stocks.

Brent unrefined futures for May shed 16 cents, or 0.2%,. to settle at $86.09 a barrel while the more actively traded June. agreement was down 22 cents to $85.41. The May agreement. expires on Thursday.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) unrefined futures. for May shipment dropped 27 cents, or 0.3%, to $81.35 a barrel. Both Brent and WTI futures have been under selling pressure. because striking more than four-month highs recently.

A stronger U.S. dollar weighed on oil, with the U.S. dollar. index gaining for a 2nd successive session. An increasing. U.S. currency makes dollar-denominated oil more costly for. holders of other currencies, moistening need.

A surprise dive in U.S. crude and gasoline stockpiles likewise. contributed to the pressure on oil costs, analysts stated. U.S. crude. oil stocks rose by 3.2 million barrels while fuel stocks. rose by 1.3 million barrels in the week ended March 22,. according to data from the Energy Details Administration. ( EIA).

Analysts surveyed expected crude stocks to decrease. by 1.3 million barrels and gas stocks to visit 1.7. million barrels.

Fuel need succumbed to a 2nd straight week to 8.7. million barrels each day (bpd), below 8.8 million bpd in the. prior week, EIA data revealed.

Thinking about the truth that we're only making petroleum to. make gasoline essentially, that is a bearish advancement, said. Robert Yawger, director of energy futures at Mizuho.

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). and allies led by Russia, together called OPEC+, are not likely. to change oil output policy up until a complete ministerial event. in June, three OPEC+ sources told ahead of next week's. satisfying to review the marketplace and members' execution of. output cuts.

OPEC+ this month accepted extend output cuts of about 2.2. million bpd to the end of June, although Russia and Iraq have. needed to go to additional lengths to deal with over-production.

Those struggles have actually called into question the group's. ability to comply with the concurred cuts, with OPEC having. exceeded its targets by 190,000 bpd in February, a . survey revealed.

The OPEC+ production cuts have actually sparked argument over volumes,. particularly concerning Iraq's overproduction over the previous two. months, stated Alex Hodes, energy expert at StoneX.

Another essential point is Russia's potential volume. decrease, Hodes said. Keeping track of Russian oil flows in the. upcoming quarter will be important for market observers, he. included.

(source: Reuters)