Crude oil futures ended flat ahead of inventory data

Crude oil futures closed mostly flat on Tuesday ahead of the official weekly inventories report with increasing concerns over escalating violence in Ukraine, after clashes between Ukraine's army and pro-Russian forces raging in six eastern Ukraine cities over the weekend. Growing doubts that a recent deal between Libya and rebels to reopen oil ports were overlooked on expectation that the US is awash in crude. On the other hand Brent crude prices suffered sharp cuts due to profit taking. Benchmark crude oil futures for June delivery ended modestly higher by $0.02 to close at $99.50 a barrel after trading in a range of $100.42 and $99.32 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. In London, Brent oil futures for June delivery declined by 1.17 percent to $107.32 a barrel on the ICE.