Crude stocks at the Cushing, Oklahoma, delivery hub rose by 3.6 million barrels in the last week, EIA said.
Morgan Stanley foresees Brent oil prices would be at $60 per barrel for the rest of the year against an earlier forecast of $65
The former Soviet republic has put up stiff barriers against goods from Russia in reprisal for its March 2014 annexation of Crimea and alleged support for pro-Moscow separatists who have been waging a two-year war in eastern Ukraine.
In a sign that producers are still competing for market share by lowering prices, Iran offered its crude to Asia at a discount to rival OPEC producer Saudi Arabia.
Calling government‘s decision to implement safegaurd duty ‘right‘, David Lennox, Analyst, Fat Prophets says it is needed to protect domestic market.
Front-month Brent LCOc1, the global oil benchmark, had gained USD 1.10 to USD 44.24 a barrel by 0300 GMT (11.00 p.m. EDT), having ended down 7 cents at USD 43.14 on Wednesday.
China cut interest rates on Tuesday and lowered the reserves banks must hold in its latest move to calm fears about a severe economic slowdown in a country whose major equities index, the Shanghai Composite Index, is now 43% below the June peak for the year.
US stock futures resumed their descent in early Asian trade and Asian shares were seen on the defensive on Wednesday as monetary easing by China's central bank had limited success in cheering up nervous investors
US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil slumped over 4 percent on Wednesday to hit a 6-1/2-year low as a huge unexpected stockpile build in the United States reinforced concerns about a growing global oil glut.
US light crude oil settled up 22 cents, or 0.5 percent, at USD 43.30 a barrel, after gaining almost 80 cents at the session high.
Oil prices edged lower on Tuesday, dragged down by a firm dollar and ample supply of both crude and refined products.
Brent August crude declined 18 cents at USD 63.69 a barrel after it settled 17 cents higher on Wednesday at USD 63.87.
The gains came after prices for crude oil, gasoline and diesel jumped more than 3 percent on Tuesday as bullish investors made bets across the oil complex for another weekly drop in US stockpiles.
Michele Della Vigna, head of European energy research at Goldman Sachs, said non-OPEC oil producers had created the oversupply in the market which has weighed on prices.
US benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) rose 12 cents to USD 47.17 and Brent climbed 31 cents to USD 57.39 in late-morning trade.
Brent crude oil futures fell by more than USD 1 today to a four-year low of USD 81.23 a barrel, as a strong dollar and robust production from US shale oil fields weighed on prices.
Brokerage house Karvy Commodities Broking is bearish on Crude oil and has recommended traders to remain on sell side in the oil, in its research report dated June 12, 2013.
Due to the present uncertainties globally, crude has been on its longest losing streak since August. According to Azlin Ahmad of Argus Media, crude in the short-term will still go low.
Oil held above USD 90 on Thursday as upbeat private US payroll data helped markets recover from a mid-week slump on expectations for a sustained economic recovery at the world's top crude consuming nation.