Crude prices ease in Asian trade

SINGAPORE, May 15 (AFP): Oil prices eased in Asian trade today following a rally in the previous session, analysts said.

The US benchmark, West Texas Intermediate for June delivery, was down 27 cents at $102.10 a barrel in afternoon trade while Brent North Sea crude for June dropped 11 cents to $110.08.

Prices climbed in US trade Wednesday after a Department of Energy report showed a drawdown at the Cushing, Oklahoma, terminal that fuelled hopes demand had picked up in the world's biggest oil consuming nation.

However, Michael McCarthy, chief market strategist at CMC Markets, in Sydney told AFP: "There are concerns that the spike is due to changes in the distribution structure rather than an increase in demand."

He said the drop at Cushing was due to better distribution through the southern leg of the Keystone XL pipeline, which transports oil to Gulf Coast refineries in Texas.

The overall US crude oil stockpiles data-which includes those outside Cushing-showed supplies rising 900,000 barrels in the week ending May 9.