Oil prices steady -

LONDON, Nov 25 (Reuters): Oil prices steadied on Thursday, as investors eyed how major producers respond to the US-led emergency oil release designed to cool the market and with OPEC now expecting the release to swell inventories.

Brent crude futures gained 7 cents to $82.32 a barrel. US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures fell 12 cents, or 0.2 per cent, to $78.27 a barrel.

OPEC expects the US release to swell a surplus in oil markets by 1.1 million barrels per day (bpd), a source from the group said.