Oil mixed after U.S. inventories post surprise gain | Reuters

Oil mixed after U.S. inventories post surprise gain | Reuters

Oil prices were mixed on Thursday as selling prompted by an unexpected rise in U.S. inventories eased, with analysts predicting supply may not keep up with a recovery in demand.

Brent crude was down 8 cents at $78.56 a barrel by 0615 GMT, after falling 0.6% on Wednesday. U.S. oil rose 11 cents to $74.94 a barrel, having also declined by 0.6% in the previous session.

U.S. oil and fuel stockpiles increased last week, the U.S. Energy Department's Energy Information Administration (EIA) said on Wednesday.

Crude inventories (USOILC=ECI) were up by 4.6 million barrels in the week to Sept. 24 to 418.5 million, EIA data showed, compared with analysts' expectations in a Reuters poll for a 1.7 million-barrel drop.