Crude oil takes a 2% drop a day after a 2% gain

A bigger than expected slip in U.S. crude oil stockpiles offered some support to prices Wednesday but they still fell nearly 2% because investors remain anxious to learn whether OPEC+ will continue with production cuts.

The drop came one day after Brent made its biggest gain in two weeks, rising by 2.5% reported Reuters. Oklahoma energy stocks also dropped with falls from 4% to 6%.

West Texas Intermediate crude, the benchmark in the U.S., dropped $1.40 or 2% per barrel to $68.54 on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

Brent crude, the global standard, declined $1.31 or 1.78% to close at $72.31 a barrel.

Natural gas was unchanged at $3.04

Natural gas unchanged at $3.04 – change 0.00%

Wednesday’s trading sent Oklahoma energy stocks into negative territory with big drops recorded by Vital Energy more than 6%, Ovintiv  and Empire Petroleum 4%, and Devon Energy more than 3%.