Oil prices fell more than 2 percent from near-record highs on Thursday as traders turned their attention to swelling stockpiles in the United States, the world's largest energy market. Losses were limited by lingering concerns that global demand growth is outpacing increases in output from major producers, and by a weaker dollar that has helped divert investors to soaring commodities markets. U.S. light crude dropped $1.22 to $53.55 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange, after coming within 2 cents of last October's all-time high of $55.67 on Wednesday. London Brent was down 66 cents to $52.72, after touching a record of $54.30 on Wednesday on the International Petroleum Exchange. The losses Thursday came after a U.S. government report showed another increase in U.S. crude oil inventories last week, the fourth in a row, bringing supply above 300 million barrels for the first time since July. --More 2257 Local Time 1957 GMT
