: U.S. oil futures log lowest finish in more than 3 weeks

U.S. oil futures on Wednesday marked their lowest settlement in more than three weeks, pressured by ongoing worries about the outlook for global economic growth, which can lead to lower demand for oil. Data from the Energy Information Administration due out Thursday is also expected to reveal a weekly rise in U.S. crude inventories, with analysts polled by S&P Global Commodity Insights forecasting an increase of 4.5 million barrels, on average. The U.S. benchmark WTI crude for February delivery CLG23 fell $4.09, or 5.3%, to settle at $72.84 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange, the lowest finish for a front-month contract since Dec. 9, FactSet data show.

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