Xinhua, New York :
Oil prices ended slightly lower amid thin trading on Friday before New Year holiday, as data showed U.S. oil rigs continued to rise.
U.S. oil services firm Baker Hughes reported on Friday that its weekly count of oil rigs operating in U.S. fields climbed for a ninth straight week. The rig count added 2 to 525, lower than 536 rigs operating at this time last year.
Moreover, crude oil inventories rose 0.6 million barrels last week to 486.1 million, up 6.8 percent from last year at this time, the U.S. Energy Information Administration reported on Thursday.
Oil prices ended slightly lower amid thin trading on Friday before New Year holiday, as data showed U.S. oil rigs continued to rise.
U.S. oil services firm Baker Hughes reported on Friday that its weekly count of oil rigs operating in U.S. fields climbed for a ninth straight week. The rig count added 2 to 525, lower than 536 rigs operating at this time last year.
Moreover, crude oil inventories rose 0.6 million barrels last week to 486.1 million, up 6.8 percent from last year at this time, the U.S. Energy Information Administration reported on Thursday.
