West Texas Intermediate crude fluctuated as fewer Americans than forecast filed applications for unemployment benefits and the World Bank cut its global growth forecast.

Futures moved in an 92-cent range as U.S. jobless claims declined by 12,000 to 334,000 last week and retail sales increased more than forecast in May, according to government reports. Prices fell as much as 0.9 percent earlier after the World Bank cut its economic outlook, spurring concern that fuel demand will wane.

WTI for July delivery dropped 9 cents to $95.79 a barrel at 10:28 a.m. on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The volume of all futures traded was 9.4 percent below the 100-day average.

Brent for July settlement, which expires today, climbed 31 cents, or 0.3 percent, to $103.80 a barrel on the London-based ICE Futures Europe exchange. The more actively traded August futures increased 34 cents, or 0.3 percent, to $103.90. Volume was 24 percent below the 100-day average for the time of day.

Brent’s premium to WTI strengthened to as wide as $8.15 a barrel from yesterday’s settlement of $7.61.

Gold prices traded within yesterday's range against the downturn in the stock markets in Asia and the fall of the dollar to a 10-week low against the yen.

Markets will be watching the Fed's meeting on June 18-19, hoping to get hints on plans to reduce the program of buying bonds. Most economists assume that the reduction will occur at the end of the year, and some believe that it could happen in September.

Gold became cheaper in trading in Asia this week due to lack of demand in China, the consumption of gold occupies the second place in the world after India. Demand in India is also reduced, as the government in an attempt to reduce the trade deficit increased by one-third the import duty on gold. As a result of this measure, the import of precious metals in the second half of May fell to $ 36 million from $ 135 million in the first half of the month, said Thursday the Finance Minister of India.

The cost of the August gold futures on COMEX today kept within the range of 1376.0 - 1394.4 per ounce.

Change % Change Last

GOLD 1,386.60 9.60 0.70%

OIL (WTI) 95.82 0.44 0.46%