Oil prices were steady on Friday, supported by traders placing new hedges in the futures market in anticipation of a decline in U.S. crude inventories, but held back from advancing by the prospect of rising global supplies.  U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures CLc1 were at $68.87 per barrel at 0647 GMT, down 9 cents from their last settlement. Brent crude futures LCOc1 were at $73.40 per barrel, down 5 cents from their last close. Overall U.S. crude oil inventories actually rose by 3.8 million barrels last week to 408.74 million barrels C-STK-T-EIA, according to data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA), however stocks at the key Cushing storage hub USOICC=ECI in Oklahoma fell by 1.3 million barrels, the […]