2019.08.2015:04:00UTC+00Oil Futures Settle Slightly Higher Ahead Of Inventory Data

Crude oil futures ended marginally higher on Tuesday, with traders looking ahead to weekly inventory reports.

Slightly easing worries about U.S.-China trade dispute, China's interest rate reforms and expectations of more stimulus from global central banks supported oil's uptick. However, worries about near term energy demand outlook limited oil's gains.

The American Petroleum Institute is scheduled to release its inventory data later in the day, while the U.S. Energy Information Administration's weekly oil report is due Wednesday morning.

West Texas Intermediate crude oil futures for September expired at $56.34 a barrel, gaining $0.13, or about 0.2%, for the session.

WTI oil futures for October settled slightly lower at $56.13 a barrel.

On Monday, WTI crude oil futures for September ended up $1.33, or 2.4%, at $56.14 a barrel, adding to a modest 0.7% increase on Friday.