Oil prices remained largely unchanged on Friday, following a decline in the previous session, as concerns over fuel demand in the United States persisted. Brent crude futures dipped slightly by 1 cent to $67.43 a barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) futures dropped 4 cents to $63.53. Despite these minor fluctuations, both benchmarks were poised to record a second consecutive weekly gain. The U.S. Federal Reserve’s decision to cut interest rates by a quarter of a percentage point on Wednesday, coupled with signals of further reductions, initially raised hopes for increased oil demand. However, a surprising 4-million-barrel rise in U.S. distillate stockpiles, far exceeding market expectations, reignited fears of weakening demand in the world’s largest oil consumer. IG analyst Tony Sycamore noted that gains in the U.S. dollar and long-end yields further undermined crude oil’s support. Economic data added to the unease, with jobless claims indicating a softening labor market and single-family home building hitting a near 2.5-year low in August. Meanwhile, Russia, the world’s second-largest crude producer, introduced new measures to protect its state budget from oil price volatility and Western sanctions, alleviating some supply concerns. ANZ analyst Daniel Hynes highlighted that President Trump’s preference for low oil prices over sanctions on Russia also eased fears of supply disruptions.