Investing.com - Crude oil prices held on to losses on Thursday, as the U.S. dollar strengthened after data showed that the U.S. economy grew more than expected in the third quarter and as the Federal Reserve signaled a more hawkish tone in its statement.
On the New York Mercantile Exchange, crude oil for delivery in December traded at $81.13 a barrel during U.S. morning hours, down $1.07, or 1.3%.
Futures were likely to find support at $79.44 a barrel, the low from October 27, and resistance at $82.88 a barrel, the high from October 29.
Elsewhere, on the ICE Futures Exchange in London, Brent for December delivery lost 86 cents, or 0.99%, to hit $86.26 a barrel.
The Commerce Department said gross domestic product grew at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 3.5% in the three months ended September 30, above expectations for growth of 3%.
Separate data showed that the number of individuals filing for initial jobless benefits increased by 3,000 last week to 287,000 from the previous week’s revised total of 284,000.
Meanwhile, the Federal Reserve ended its monthly bond-buying program, known as quantitative easing, in a widely expected decision at the conclusion of its two-day policy meeting on Wednesday.
The U.S. central bank retained its commitment to keep interest rates near zero for a “considerable time," but sounded more hawkish on the labor market, saying that “underutilization of labor resources is gradually diminishing.”
The US dollar index, which tracks the performance of the greenback against a basket of six major rivals, surged to a three-and-a-half-week high, as market players brought forward expectations of when the Fed would eventually raise rates.
A stronger dollar reduces demand for raw materials as an alternative investment and makes dollar-priced commodities more expensive for holders of other currencies.