NEW YORK, Jan. 25 (UPI) -- March-delivery light, sweet crude oil prices Wednesday held under $100 per barrel as U.S. inventories rose in the latest week.
The Energy Information Agency said supplies rose by 3.6 million barrels in the week ending Jan. 20 to 334.9 million barrels.
On the New York Mercantile Exchange, West Texas Intermediate crude added 49 cents to reach $99.89 per barrel.
Prices were also held in check as negotiations over Greek debt failed to resolve difference between Athens and creditors. At stake is Greece debt obligations that come due March 20. Without a deal with creditors, the European Union has said it will not offer Greece the next disbursement of its international bailout.
Equities on Wall Street fell flat Monday and Tuesday, but rose Wednesday after the U.S. Federal Reserve said it would likely hold the federal fund rate at historic lows until late 2014.
A milder than expected winter in the Northeast has added to the oil market's uncertainty.
Home heating oil added 2.66 cents in late trading to $3.037 per gallon. Reformulated blendstock gasoline added 1.31 cents to $2.8505 per gallon. Henry Hub natural gas prices added 2.7 cents to $2.756 per million British thermal units.
At the pump, the national average price of unleaded gasoline fell to $3.379 per gallon from Tuesday's $3.381, AAA said.
