World crude oil prices fell below 69 dollars Friday as traders took profit.

New York's main contract, light sweet crude for delivery in June, fell 92 cents to close at 68.53 dollars a barrel.

In London, Brent North Sea crude for July delivery dropped 99 cents to 68.68 dollars a barrel.

The Department of Energy said Wednesday that gasoline stocks grew for the third straight week by 1.3 million barrels last week to 206.4 million barrels.

Crude oil inventories slipped by 100,000 barrels last week to 346.9 million barrels, or 4.7 percent higher than last year, and distillate fuel stocks also fell by 100,000 barrels to 114.6 million barrels, or 7 percent higher than last year.

Traders are still concerned about Iran's nuclear standoff with the international community and a possible halt in Tehran's oil export in the event of a UN sanction.

UN Secretary General Kofi Annan called on Thursday for international attention to find solutions to the Iranian nuclear issue. Iran said Wednesday that it would reject a deal with the European Union, which plans to offer incentives in exchange for Iran's halt of uranium enrichment.

Source: Xinhua