After trading higher earlier in the day, oil futures closed slightly lower. Prices jumped earlier in the day after a report was released that forecasted a decrease in daily shipments of 230,000 barrels per day by OPEC.

Prices then moved lower after investors saw a Conference Board Report that its index of leading indicators dropped to the lowest level in 2 years.

One floor trader remarked, “An economic slowdown is the greatest fear that the energy markets have right now but the inventory data is leading to the uncertainty.” Light, sweet crude for February delivery fell 18 cents to settle at $91.06 on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

Recently, the energy markets have had to digest conflicting data which has added to the choppy trading. The U.S. Energy Information Association reported on Wednesdaythat supplies of heating and crude oil fell sharply last week.

A report from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that the first part of the winter will be warmer than normal in the eastern two-thirds of the country also added to the slight losses for the trading section.