Aug. 4 (Bloomberg) -- Crude oil fell for the first time in five days after U.S. gasoline supplies unexpectedly increased and the dollar strengthened against the euro. Oil tumbled from a three-month high after the Energy Department reported that gasoline inventories climbed for a sixth consecutive week as demand for fuels dropped. The dollar advanced against the euro for the first time in three days, curbing the investment appeal of commodities. “The inventory data’s kind of weighing on oil prices right now,” said Sean Brodrick, a natural-resource analyst with Weiss Research in Jupiter, Florida. “People just aren’t using the products so much right now. Products are really more important than crude because everyone is worried about the U.S. consumer.” Crude for September delivery fell 27 cents, or 0.3 percent, to $82.28 a barrel at 10:45 a.m. on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Oil has increased 15 percent in the past year. New York futures gained 7.2 percent in the previous four sessions to $82.55 a barrel, the highest settlement price since May 4. Average fuel demand in the four weeks ended July 30 dropped by 0.3 percent from the period ended July 23. Gasoline Falls Gasoline for September delivery tumbled 1.33 cents, or 0.6 percent, to $2.1802 a gallon, the first decline in six days. “We have more than ample supplies of crude and products and middling levels of demand for distillate and gasoline,” said Gene McGillian, an analyst and broker at Tradition Energy in Stamford, Connecticut. “As you approach the mid-$80s, they begin to become a drain because you haven’t seen these inventory levels pare or an improvement in these demand levels.” U.S. oil supplies decreased 2.78 million barrels, or 0.8 percent, to 358 million. They jumped by 7.31 million barrels in the week ended July 23, the biggest increase since March 19. Inventories were forecast to decline 1.65 million barrels in the Bloomberg survey. The dollar strengthened by 0.7 percent to $1.3141 per euro from $1.3231 yesterday in New York, the lowest level since April 30. U.S. Services Brent for September settlement declined 45 cents, or 0.5 percent, to $82.23 a barrel on the London-based ICE Futures Europe exchange. --With assistance from Grant Smith in London. Editors: Joe Link, Richard Stubbe To contact the reporter on this story: Margot Habiby in Dallas at mhabiby@bloomberg.net. To contact the editor responsible for this story: Bill Banker at bbanker@bloomberg.net.

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