Oil Prices End Lower As Forecasts Point To a Rise In Weekly U.S. Crude Supplies

Oil futures settled lower on Tuesday as traders bet that weekly data will show an increase in crude inventories for a fourth straight week. The American Petroleum Institute will release supply data late Tuesday, while the Energy Information Administration's report comes out Wednesday. Analysts polled by Platts forecast a rise of 3 million barrels for crude stockpiles. April West Texas Intermediate crude fell $1.40, or 3.7%, to settle at $36.50 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.