Oil fell today as the market awaited US inventory data expected to show an increase in fuel stocks following unusually mild weather.
US light crude traded 84 cents lower at $57.48 a barrel by early this afternoon, just off a session low of $57.65, which was the lowest level since mid November.
London Brent dropped 81 cents to $57.15.
US prices on Wednesday fell $2.73 a barrel, or 4.47 per cent, the steepest one-day percentage fall since late April, 2005, according to Reuters data.
Unseasonably warm weather in the US Northeast, the top regional heating oil consumer, and also in Europe has dragged prices lower.
Gasoline was also seen rising by 1.5 million barrels, while crude stocks were expected to decline by 800,000 barrels.
