NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. crude oil fell below $44 a barrel for the first time since April 2009 on Thursday while benchmark Brent sharply pared early gains after data showing additions to already record-high U.S. oil inventories.
纽约（路透社） - 周四，数据显示已达历史最高位的美国原油库存量进一步增加，呈现上升趋势的布伦特原油股票价格大幅下挫，而美国原油价格自2009年4月以来首次跌至44美元线下。
布伦特原油：北大西洋原油的标准制品，通过货船运输。WTI（西德州轻质原油）是北美地区通用标准原油制品，通过管道运输。

Oil prices had risen broadly earlier in the session after preliminary U.S. weekly jobless claims data hit a nearly 15-year low, indicating further strength in the world's largest economy.
美国早先公布的每周失业人数接近十五年来的最低位，体现了美国作为全球最大经济体的增长潜力，也使得原油价格普遍上扬。
But crude futures in New York were near a six-year low by midmorning after a report from oil services firm Genscape, which a market source said showed fresh builds of 1.6 million barrels at the Cushing, Oklahoma delivery point for U.S. crude in the period of Jan. 23 through Jan. 27.
但石油服务公司 - 信息斯盖普发布的一份报告显示：1月23日至1月27日之间，俄克拉荷马州石油交割点库辛地区的新增原油存货达到160万桶，使纽约原油期货价格在上午十时逼近六年来的最低点。
Inventories of U.S. crude were already at record highs for the week ended Jan. 23, according to government data issued on Wednesday. Last week's build alone was almost 9 million barrels, taking stockpiles to nearly 407 million, the highest level since the government began keeping such records in 1982.
根据政府周三公布的数据显示，美国原油库存量在1月23日已经达到历史最高位。仅上周一周的存货量就接近900万桶，使原油储备总量接近四亿七百万桶，是1982年来的最高位。
"There are absolutely very few reasons to buy crude oil now and the only path I see from here is lower," said James Williams, energy economist at WTRG Economics in London, Arkansas.
詹姆斯﹒威廉姆斯是阿肯色州伦敦WTRG经济公司的能源经济学家，他表示：“现在绝对不是买原油的好时机，我认为原油价格只可能进一步下降。”
U.S. crude futures' front-month contract was down 64 cents at $43.81 a barrel by 11:29 a.m. ET (1629 GMT), after falling to $43.58 earlier.
上午11:29，美国原油期货的近期交割合同价已经下跌了64美分，为43.81美元一桶。之前价格曾跌至43.58美元。
Front-month Brent showed a 10 cent gain at $48.57 a barrel, off its session high of $49.24.
布伦特原油的近期交割价从最高点的49.24美元降至48.57美元，但比之前上升了10美分。
The spread between the two crude oils was its largest since Dec. 29, with Brent fetching a premium of more than $4.70 a barrel due to the weaker fundamentals in U.S. crude.
两桶油的近期交割波动为12月29日以来最大的降幅。美国原油基本盘较弱，使得布伦特原油的溢价超过4.7美元一桶。
The current "contango" market structure in both Brent and WTI, where forward month contracts are pricier to nearby oil, is also giving traders an incentive to short prompt crude and buy forward contracts for storage in the hope of delivering those for a profit later.
布伦特和WTI（西德州轻质原油）现正面临‘期货溢价'的市场现状，远期合同价比近期交割价更高。这激励了贸易商们积极参与短线石油交易，购买空头远期合同以期套利。
Oil prices have tumbled about 60 percent since June, with losses accelerating from November onward when the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries refused to cut its output to shore up prices.
自六月以来石油价格已经下跌了60%。十一月时，欧佩克宣布不会缩减石油产量维持价格后，石油价格下跌速度进一步加快。
OPEC's dominant member and top oil exporter Saudi Arabia has repeatedly rebuffed calls from other OPEC producers such as Venezuela and Algeria in recent months to reconsider the November decision. The OPEC secretary-general said this week the seven-month long sell-off in oil may have run its course and prices could rebound.
欧佩克的主要成员国和最大石油出口国沙特阿拉伯已经多次拒绝其他成员国，如委内瑞拉和阿尔及利亚提出的减产要求。欧佩克秘书长本周曾表示，长达七个月的抛本大甩卖之后，油价或已触底并将反弹。