Futures in New York dropped 0.7 percent after earlier gaining as much as 1.3 percent. American Petroleum Institute data Tuesday showed an unexpected decrease in U.S. stockpiles, while on Wednesday…

Futures climbed as much as 1.3 percent in New York after declining 0.9 percent Tuesday. Inventories expanded by 1.44 million barrels last week, the American Petroleum Institute was said to report. That’s less than half the projected 3.9 million-barrel increase the government is forecast to report Wednesday. Some U.S. refiners are delaying maintenance to take advantage of strong margins. While oil has rebounded the past two weeks, crude in the U.S. has struggled to hold above $50 a barrel as prices beyond that level make some shale profitable and boost supply. At the same time, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies are said to be discussing extending by more than three months the output cuts that expire in March. Iraq, the group’s second-biggest producer, has said production should be reduced by an additional 1 percent to help rebalance the market. Click Read More below for additional detail.

Oil gained last week to rise above its 200-day moving average for the first time since May as concerns eased that efforts by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies to curb output will be offset by rising production elsewhere. Police in Venezuela clashed with demonstrators after a vote Sunday to elect members of a new legislative body that President Nicolas Maduro insisted is needed to restore order after months of protests. “Depending on how the Trump administration decides to proceed going forward, of course that could have implications,” including potentially blocking imports of Venezuelan crude, said Harry Tchilinguirian, a commodities analyst at BNP Paribas SA in London. “It’s very unclear at this stage what course the U.S. administration will follow.” Click Read More below for additional details.