Oil prices slipped this evening as investors pulled money out of commodities and into the US dollar. US crude fell 46 cents to $72.01 a barrel, while London Brent fell 27 cents to $71.28.
Oil was also under pressure from a government report this week showing growth in US refined fuel inventories, with distillates at their highest since 1983. Oil's losses were limited somewhat by mild gains on Wall Street.
Some analysts said oil prices could move higher in coming weeks as some recent positive economic data supported expectations that a global economic revival was under way and energy demand would soon recover.
