OIL prices dropped just below US$77 a barrelyesterday after the government said crude supplies rose unexpectedly last week.

Benchmark crude fell 51 cents to settle at US$76.99 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

Crude supplies grew by 7.3 million barrels last week, according to the Energy Department's Energy Information Administration. Analysts expected a drop of 2.3 million barrels, according to a survey by Platts, the energy information arm of McGraw-Hill Cos. Supplies of gasoline and distillates, which include diesel and heating oil, also rose.

"We know that due to disruptions from (Tropical Storm) Bonnie, refinery operations and deliveries were adversely affected in the reference week," said oil analyst Stephen Schork. "Thus demand for crude oil may have been artificially curtailed, and could bounce back next week."

Oil has stayed within the US$70s for most of this year, with doubts about the strength of the U.S. economic recovery helping to undermine any move above US$80.

"With the price near US$80, there would have to be some extreme bullishness to witness a break to the upside," Sander Capital said in a report. "The price of oil should stay in the US$75 range for now."

Weak durable goods orders in June and a Federal Reserve report that the U.S. economic recovery is slowing in some parts of the country pushed down stock prices. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was about 70 points lower in late afternoon trading. The Nasdaq and the S&P 500 were down as well. Oil traders watch the stock market as an indicator of the broader economy and potential for rising oil and gas demand.

Natural gas prices climbed with forecasts for more hot weather across much of the country. Natural gas fires a number of power plants that produce electricity to run air conditioners and refrigeration.

"Temperature projections returned to hotter, more humid readings into the first 10 days of August," said energy consultants Cameron Hanover. "Readings are still very hot across large tracts of the (U.S.)."

Natural gas rose 9.9 cents to settle at US$4.774 per 1,000 cubic feet.

In other Nymex trading heating oil fell 0.3 cent to settle at US$1.9964 a gallon and gasoline dropped 0.02 cent to settle at US$2.0634 a gallon.

In London, Brent crude lost 7 cents to settle at US$76.06 a barrel on the ICE Futures exchange.

• barrel [´bærəl] n.(琵琶)桶；圆筒 (初中英语单词)
• yesterday [´jestədi] n.&ad.昨天；前不久 (初中英语单词)
• energy [´enədʒi] n.活力，精力；能力 (初中英语单词)
• administration [əd,minis´treiʃən] n.管理(事务等)；经营 (初中英语单词)
• survey [´sə:vei] vt.&n.俯瞰；审视；测量 (初中英语单词)
• reference [´refərəns] n.参考；参照；出处 (初中英语单词)
• extreme [ik´stri:m] a.尽头的 n.极端 (初中英语单词)
• witness [´witnis] n.见证人 vt.目击 (初中英语单词)
• federal [´fedərəl] a.联邦的，联邦制的 (初中英语单词)
• industrial [in´dʌstriəl] a.工业的，产业的 (初中英语单词)
• economy [i´kɔnəmi] n.经济；机制；组织 (初中英语单词)
• gasoline [´gæsəli:n] n.汽油 (高中英语单词)
• bounce [bauns] v.&n.(使)反弹；拍 (高中英语单词)
• recovery [ri´kʌvəri] n.重获；获得；恢复 (高中英语单词)
• potential [pə´tenʃəl] n.&a.潜在的；可能的 (高中英语单词)
• electricity [i,lek´trisiti] n.电；电学；电流 (高中英语单词)
• gallon [´gælən] n.加伦 (高中英语单词)
• unexpectedly [´ʌniks´pektidli] ad.意外地；突然地 (英语四级单词)
• durable [´djuərəbl] a.耐久的，耐用的 (英语四级单词)
• affected [ə´fektid] a.做作的；假装的 (英语六级单词)
• artificially [,ɑ:ti´fiʃəli] ad.人工地；假地 (英语六级单词)
• undermine [,ʌndə´main] vt.在...下面掘地道 (英语六级单词)
• hanover [´hænəvə] n.汉诺威 (英语六级单词)