By Matt Day Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES NEW YORK (Dow Jones)--Crude oil futures tumbled below $73 a barrel, to the weakest price since June 9, at midmorning Thursday, extending earlier losses after the release of another wave of disappointing U.S. economic data. Light, sweet crude for August delivery was down $3.19, or 4.1%, to $72.44 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange, trading in a range of $75.40 to $72.36. Crude hasn't settled below $73 a barrel since June 8. August North Sea Brent crude on the ICE futures exchange traded $3.16, or 4.2% lower, at $71.85 a barrel. "Right now the market is telling us that without the aid of a positive economic outlook or signs that the recovery is proceeding, the weak fundamentals are preventing prices from pushing toward $80" a barrel, said Gene McGillian, an analyst with Tradition Energy, a Stamford, Conn., brokerage. Since hitting an intraday high of $79.38 a barrel on Monday, front-month crude at its lowest level so far Thursday is down 8.8%, or $7.02 a barrel. Oil was leading a broader downturn for growth-sensitive commodities. Copper for September delivery was down 2.4% at $2.8795 a pound in recent trading, stung by growing concerns about the global economic recovery. Crude prices, under pressure from U.S. inventories that remain above five-year levels amid sluggish demand, plunged after the release of several economic reports that suggested a slowing U.S. recovery would keep oil demand low. The Institute for Supply Management's manufacturing index for June dropped to 56.2, below analysts' expectations of a decline to 59.0. The index stood at 59.7 in May. The National Association of Realtors' May pending home sales index fell 30% from April levels. May's figure was a decline of 15.9% from the year-earlier period. The Commerce Department also reported U.S. May construction spending decreased by 0.2% in May, better than the expected 0.7% decline, but still down sharply from April's 2.3% increase. Prices were weaker earlier Thursday on an unexpected increase in U.S. jobless claims and a report of a slowdown in Chinese manufacturing. U.S. initial claims for unemployment benefits rose by 13,000, to 472,000 for the week ended June 26, the Labor Department reported. Economists had expected decline of 2,000 claims. The China Federation of Logistics & Purchasing said its purchasing managers' index fell to 52.1 in June, down from 53.9 in May. Front-month August reformulated gasoline blendstock, or RBOB, recently traded down 7.04 cents, or 3.4%, at $1.9900 a gallon. August heating oil fell 7.92 cents, or 3.9%, to $1.9351 a gallon. -By Matt Day, Dow Jones Newswires; 212-416-4986; matthew.day2@dowjones.com.

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