[(Title)]Oil extends decline after biggest monthly slump in 2 years

TOKYO: Oil prices fell on Wednesday after industry data showed US stockpiles of crude unexpectedly rose, starting the new month in negative territory after the largest monthly decline in two years in July.

在行业数据显示美国原油库存意外上升后，周三原油价格下跌。在7月出现两年来月度跌幅最大之后，8月油价开始处于负值。

October Brent crude futures dropped 30 cents, or 0.4 percent, to $73.91 a barrel by 0325 GMT, adding to a 1.8 percent loss in the previous session. US crude futures were down 37 cents, or 0.5 percent, at $68.39 a barrel, having dropped nearly 2 percent on Tuesday. Brent fell more than 6 percent in July, while US crude futures slumped about 7 percent, the biggest monthly decline for both benchmarks since July 2016.

格林威治标准时间03:25，10月布伦特原油期货价格下跌30美分（或0.4％），至每桶73.91美元，比前一交易日下跌1.8％。美国原油期货下跌37美分（或0.5%），至每桶68.39美元，在周二下跌近2%。布伦特7月下跌了6%以上，而美国原油期货下跌了约7%，是两大基准自2016年7月以来月跌幅最大的一次。

Data from the American Petroleum Institute (API) showed domestic crude inventories rose by 5.6 million barrels last week. A Reuters poll had forecast a fall of 2.8 million barrels.

美国石油学会（American Petroleum Institute，API）的数据显示，上周美国国内原油库存增加了560万桶。

Official data from the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) is due later on Wednesday.

美国能源情报局（EIA）的官方数据将于星期三晚些时候公布。

“API ... showed a big build.

"API……展示了一个大型的结构。”AxiTrader首席市场策略师格雷格·麦肯纳表示。

Signs that a supply disruption in the Bab Al-Mandab Strait in the Red Sea could be resolved also weighed on prices.

位于红海的曼德海峡供应中断的问题能够得到解决的信号，也给石油价格造成压力。

Yemen’s Houthi group said it was ready to unilaterally halt attacks in the Red Sea to support peace efforts. Saudi Arabia suspended oil shipments through the strait last week after the Houthis attacked two Saudi oil tankers.

也门的胡塞武装组织表示，它准备单方面停止在红海的袭击，以支持和平。上周，在胡塞武装组织袭击了两艘沙特油轮之后，沙特阿拉伯暂停了通过海峡运输石油。

A Reuters poll showed that oil prices are likely to hold fairly steady this year and next as increased output from OPEC and the US meets growing demand led by Asia and helps to offset supply disruptions.

路透社的一项调查显示，随着石油输出国组织（OPEC）和美国的产量增长满足了由亚洲主导的日益增长的需求，并有助于抵消供应中断所造成的影响，石油价格在今年和明年可能保持相当稳定。

OPEC has pledged to offset the loss of supply from Iran, the group’s third-biggest producer.

石油输出国组织承诺抵消其第三大生产国伊朗的供应损失。美国的制裁已经开始削减伊朗的出口，其亚洲最大的购买者6月份的进口值降至7个月来的最低点。

Looming US sanctions have already started to cut Iranian exports, with buyers from its biggest customers in Asia cutting imports to a seven-month low in June.