Oil Eases as IEA Flags Slower Demand Growth

The sun sets behind the chimneys of the Total Grandpuits oil refinery, southeast of Paris, France, on March 1, 2021. Christian Hartmann/Reuters

LONDON—Oil prices fell slightly on Thursday as the International Energy Agency (IEA) flagged slowing demand growth this year while a larger than expected jump in U.S. crude inventories also weighed.

Brent crude futures fell 37 cents, or 0.5 percent, to $81.23 a barrel by 1008 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures declined 44 cents, or 0.6 percent, to $76.20.