Crude-oil futures fell below $49 a barrel Wednesday on expectations that government data will show another buildup in U.S. crude inventories last week. Crude for May delivery fell $1.46, or 2.9%, to $48.20 a barrel in early North American electronic trading. The Energy Information Administration will release its weekly petroleum data at 10:30 am Eastern. Analysts surveyed by Platts expect an increase of 3.2 million barrels in crude inventories in the week ended March 27. The EIA reported last week that the inventories level stood at the highest level in 16 years in the week ended March 20.
