Brent oil dropped to the lowest in almost four months as surging U.S. crude inventories dim optimism that OPEC and its partners will curb output enough to rebalance the market. The global benchmark fell below $50 a barrel for the first time this year during the session. American crude supplies hit a record last week and output rose as the nation’s oil drillers added rigs. Prices came off the day’s lows as attention shifted to gasoline stockpiles, which slipped for a fifth week. The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and 11 other nations began trimming supply for six months starting Jan. 1 in an effort to ease a global supply glut. While OPEC won’t decide until May whether to prolong the cuts, ministers and officials from outside the group will meet this weekend in Kuwait to discuss the deal’s progress. OPEC will extend the deal if stockpiles are still […]