The West Texas Intermediate for September delivery lost 84 cents, or 0.9 percent, to settle at 96.42 U.S. dollars a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Brent crude for September delivery increased 52 cents, or 0.5 percent, to close at 107.14 dollars a barrel on the London ICE Futures Exchange.
The above moves came as dismal U.S. data fueled concerns that a potential economic recession would harm energy demand.
The U.S. economy shrank at an annual rate of 0.9 percent in the second quarter after a 1.6-percent contraction in the previous quarter, the Commerce Department reported Thursday. The reading was worse than market expectations.
Meanwhile, investors continued to digest weekly U.S. fuel inventory data.
The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported Wednesday that the nation's crude oil inventories decreased by 4.5 million barrels during the week ending July 22.
According to the EIA, total motor gasoline inventories decreased by 3.3 million barrels last week, while distillate fuel inventories decreased by 0.8 million barrels.
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