NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- Investors found little reason to bid up equities from the petroleum and natural gas sectors Wednesday as oil futures moved below $37 a barrel ahead of weekly inventory data.
The Amex Oil Index ell about 1% to 908. The Amex Natural Gas Index retreated 1.6% to 349.5. The Philadelphia Oil Service Index dropped 1.2% to 109.
Wall Street expects a build in crude oil supplies by about 500,000 barrels, with an increase in gasoline in storage by about 800,000 barrels.
Crude oil futures continued to slip, retreating $1.59 to $37.39 a barrel but off earlier lows below the $37 level.
