Crude oil futures down 0.25% on weak global trend

Crude oil futures eased by 0.25 per cent to Rs 3,154 a barrel today as speculators booked profits after recent gains amid a weakening trend overseas.

At the Multi Commodity Exchange, crude oil for delivery in current month traded at Rs 8, or 0.25 per cent lower, at Rs 3,154 a barrel in 3,182 lots.

Oil for October delivery also moved down by a similar margin to trade at Rs 3,190 per barrel in 143 lots.

Analysts attributed the fall to a weak trend in overseas markets and profit-booking by speculators after recent gains.

Meanwhile, West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude was down 7 cents, or 0.14 per cent at USD 49.23, while Brent crude, used to price international oils, shed 15 cents, or 0.27 per cent to USD 55.01 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.