U.S. crude futures fell over one percent in American trade, as the dollar index rose according to their inverse relation, which follows earlier data from the world's largest economy and biggest energy consumer, while investors await the Federal Reserve's last meeting minutes.
As of 05:06 GMT, U.S. crude futures due on April 15 fell 1.45% to $53.54 a barrel from the opening of $54.33, while Brent crude futures due on April 15 shed 1.50% to $55.81 a barrel from the opening of $56.65, and the dollar index rose 0.12% to 101.49 from the opening of 101.37.
Earlier data from the world's largest economy showed existing home sales up 3.3% in January to 5.69 million units, compared to a 1.6% fall in December to 5.51 million, and besting expectations of a 1.1% rise to 5.55M, while investors now await the Federal Reserve's last meeting minutes, when policymakers kept overnight interest rates unchanged at between 0.50% and 0.75%, after raising them by 25 basis points in the last meeting of 2016.