Oil prices slipped on Tuesday as investors remained concerned about climbing coronavirus cases globally, but expectations of a drawdown in crude oil inventory in the United States for a fifth straight week kept losses in check.
Brent crude oil futures slipped 10 cents, or 0.2%, to $55.56 a barrel by 0500 GMT, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) fell 8 cents, or 0.2%, to $52.17 a barrel, as reported by Reuters.
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U.S. crude oil stockpiles likely fell for a fifth straight week, while refined products inventories were seen up last week, a preliminary Reuters poll showed on Monday.
The poll was conducted ahead of reports from industry group American Petroleum Institute later on Tuesday and the Energy Information Administration (EIA), the statistical arm of the U.S. Department of Energy, on Wednesday.
