Oil prices edged down on Thursday amid a lack of any clear resolution to US-China trade talks and official data that again indicated vast fuel stocks in the United States. US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil futures were at $51.89 per barrel at 1200 GMT, down 47 cents, or .9 percent, from their last settlement. International Brent crude futures were down .85 percent, or 52 cents, at $60.92 per barrel. Both benchmarks rose by around 5 percent the previous day, capping off a week-long climb that marked oil’s longest sustained rise since last summer. Global financial markets had surged on hopes that Washington and Beijing may soon end their dispute and avert an all-out trade war between the two biggest economies. Some of the positive feeling ebbed on Thursday, however, a day after negotiations wrapped up with mildly positive statements from both sides but few details. Published in Daily Times, January 11th 2019.