WTI gains, remains below $50 per barrel

Crude oil prices were up slightly Tuesday, helped by gains in equities markets and declines in the US dollar against the euro.

May contracts for West Texas Intermediate crude, which expire today, added 63 cents to $46.51 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange while June contracts added 19 cents to $48.70 per barrel.

At last report, Brent crude for June delivery had added 30 cents to $50.16 per barrel on the ICE Futures Europe exchange in London.

Gains were limited by expectations that the US Energy Information Administration will report tomorrow that crude oil inventories were up again last week and will remain high, and amid evidence that demand continues to be low.

Nymex May gasoline futures traded even at $1.41 per gallon while June heating oil added a cent to $1.37 per gallon and June natural gas futures dropped 3 cents to $3.64 per million British thermal units.