A slight build in U.S. crude oil inventories and an overall yearly gain in stockpiles helped send oil prices lower on the last trading day for 2016. Data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration show crude oil inventories in the United States increased 614,000 barrels during the week ending Dec. 23. That compares with a draw forecast by S&P Global Platts of 1.5 million barrels. Platts reported that the main driver behind the buildup in stockpiles was a slowdown in overall refinery activity, despite a draw on gasoline stocks and higher exports of petroleum products. The price for Brent crude oil, now in the March contract, was down 0.5 percent to start trading Friday at $56.54 per barrel. West Texas Intermediate, the U.S. benchmark price for oil, lost 0.5 percent to open the day at $53.49 per barrel. Brent crude oil prices are […]