NEW YORK, Aug 25 (Reuters) - U.S. crude oil futures edged lower Wednesday in choppy trading, weighed down by more disappointing economic data as oil markets anticipated the government's weekly oil inventory report expected to show crude stocks edged up last week. Crude prices fell a fifth straight session Tuesday, and extended losses on Wednesday after a Commerce Department report showed new orders for durable goods rose in July, but only by 0.3 percent, much less than the 2.8 percent rise in the consensus forecast. [ID:nN25121445] Excluding transportation equipment, new orders fell 3.8 percent, their largest decline in 1-1/2 years. Oil's losses were limited by a report late Tuesday from industry group American Petroleum Institute that showed crude inventories dropped 1.8 million barrels last week against the forecast that supplies rose. [API/S] But gasoline stocks rose 692,000 barrels, the API said, against a forecast for a drawdown of 400,000 barrels. Distillate stocks rose 1.9 million barrels, versus a prediction that stockpiles would be up 1.1 million barrels. FUNDAMENTALS * On the New York Mercantile Exchange, October crude CLV0 fell 8 cents, or 0.1 percent, to $71.55 a barrel by 9:15 a.m. EDT (1315 GMT), trading from $71.10 to $72.37. * That $71.10 was a seven-week low, the cheapest since prices fell to $71.09 on July 6. * AAA forecast a 9.9 pct rise in U.S. Labor Day holiday travel from last year. Auto travel was projected to be up 10.3 pct. [ID:nN25113723] * Iranian natural gas flows to Turkey were halted after an explosion and could take up to a week to resume after repairs are completed, officials at the Turkish pipeline operator Botas said on Wednesday. [ID:nLDE67O0J9] MARKETS NEWS * U.S. stock index futures extended losses after the weak durable goods orders report that pointed to a slowdown in manufacturing. [.N] * World stocks slipped for the fifth straight session on worries the global economy was sliding back into recession. The yen dipped against the dollar and euro on speculation Japan would act to stem the currency's rise. [MKTS/GLOB] [FRX/] * Gold took on a safe-haven luster and rose to an 8-week high as stocks slipped and the dollar dipped. [GOL/] UPCOMING DATA/EVENTS * The Commerce Department releases new home sales for July 10 a.m. EDT (1400 GMT). Economists surveyed by Reuters projected 330,000 annualized units, a repeat of the June figure. * EIA reports weekly oil inventory data at 10:30 a.m. EDT (1430 GMT). Analysts in Reuters survey forecast 200,000 barrel rise in crude and 400,000 barrel decline in gasoline. 9:15 LAST NET PCT LOW HIGH CURRENT DAY AGO CHNG CHNG VOL VOL CLc1 71.55 -0.08 -0.1% 71.10 72.37 63,668 252,439 CLc2 72.25 -0.11 -0.2% 71.87 73.11 14,684 56,238 LCOc1 72.38 0.00 0.0% 72.03 73.30 73,506 191,921 RBc1 1.8439 -0.0054 -0.3% 1.8316 1.8654 1,868 33,694 RBc2 1.8064 -0.0029 -0.2% 1.7940 1.8282 5,055 40,214 HOc1 1.9426 0.0072 0.4% 1.9319 1.9594 3,411 30,165 HOc2 1.9600 0.0063 0.3% 1.9495 1.9777 6,947 41,688 * NYMEX crude oil for October CLc1 fell 8 cents to $71.55 a barrel by 9:15 a.m. in volume of 63,668 lots. (Reporting by Robert Gibbons; Editing by John Picinich)

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