The Globe and Mail reports in its Thursday, Aug. 16, edition that oil futures slid on Wednesday, with United States crude settling 3 per cent lower after government information showed a surprise weekly increase in domestic crude stockpiles, compounding worries about the global economic growth outlook. A Reuters dispatch to The Globe reports that U.S. crude futures settled at $65.01 a barrel, down $2.03, or 3 per cent (all figures U.S.). Brent crude futures were down $1.70, or 2.35 per cent, at $70.76 a barrel. U.S. crude inventories last week rose 6.8 million barrels even though refinery crude runs hit a record high, U.S. Energy Information Administration information showed. Crude stocks at the Cushing, Okla., delivery hub for U.S. crude futures rose 1.6 million barrels. Analysts polled by Reuters had expected a weekly decline. Commerzbank analyst Carsten Fritsch says: "Crude oil processing increased sharply and reached a record level of almost 18 million barrels per day last week. But this was not enough to prevent the inventory build." Investors are concerned about the world economy as trade disputes escalate between the U.S. and its major trading partners.