NEW YORK, USA — CRUDE oil prices settled lower on Tuesday after the Federal Reserve said the economy is recovering, but not fast enough to bring down unemployment.

Benchmark oil lost 33 cents to settle at US$88.28 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

The Fed held its last scheduled meeting of the year yesterday. No major announcements were expected and none were issued. Fed policymakers said they’ll keep the US$600-billion bond-buying stimulus programme in place to help the sluggish economy recover. The Fed’s decision to buy government bonds is meant to encourage Americans to spend more which, in turn, would boost the economy. Since the programme was announced in early November, oil prices have risen an average of 4.6 per cent and last week hit a two-year high of US$90 a barrel.

Some analysts expect oil to reach US$90 a barrel again before year-end and push toward US$100 a barrel by next spring as the peak summer driving season approaches.

The economic news on Tuesday pointed to improving demand for oil and gas in the coming months. The Commerce Department said retail sales rose for a fifth straight month in November. A Business Roundtable survey found 45 per cent of executives polled expect their companies to add more workers and spend more in the next six months. And the Labor Department said wholesale prices rose in November.

While the economic data was positive, energy traders are concerned about inflation and want more clarity on what the government will do to keep the economic recovery going, according to PFGBest analyst, Phil Flynn.

The wintry weather that blasted the Midwest and the Northeast in the past few days is helping to keep oil prices in check for now, according to Jim Ritterbusch, president of energy consultancy Ritterbusch and Associates. He said the bad weather kept drivers off the roads and slowed demand for gasoline.