Hurricane angle tips crude lower

Crude oil prices slid early Wednesday, dropping to less than $89 per barrel in anticipation of a supply increase expected an afternoon report. The thinking is Hurricane Irene did not disrupt supply as much as it disrupted demand, as it kept drivers home and gas pumps idle as it made its way up the East Coast. On the New York Mercantile Exchange, crude oil prices for October delivery lost 0.17 cents to $88.80 per barrel. Home heating oil prices added 0.44 cents to $3.0811 per gallon. Reformulated blendstock gasoline prices added 0.93 to reach $2.8508 per gallon. Henry Hub natural gas prices gained 8.2 cents to hit $3.991 per million British thermal units. At the pump, the national average price of unleaded gasoline rose by a half a cent, reaching $3.617 per gallon from Tuesday's $3.612, AAA said.