Crude Oil Prices Fall For Fourth Day

Oil prices this week have come off eight-month highs near $73 a barrel amid some signs that the U.S. economy, while past the worst of a severe recession, is still weak.

"There have been some mixed signs," said Toby Hassall, an analyst with investment firm Commodity Warrants Australia in Sydney. "The last few days we've seen a turn toward negative sentiment. Oil looks set for a correction."

"Oil will likely drift below $70 and maybe to $65." Hassall said. "It's been a very strong rally, driven by sentiment rather than data, which makes it look vulnerable to a correction."

Crude prices have dropped with equities markets this week, and they continued to fall Wednesday though the dollar was week.

Because barrels are priced in U.S. currency, oil tends to rise when the dollar falls.

Meanwhile, U.S. retail gas prices climbed for the 50th straight day Wednesday, the longest streak in records dating to 1996.

Pump prices added a half cent overnight to a new national average of $2.679 a gallon, according to auto club AAA, Wright Express and Oil Price Information Service.