The U.S. dollar on Wednesday ticked up a sixth straight day, as currency market participants geared up for the first anticipated Federal Reserve interest rate hike in over three years. Meanwhile, the sterling slipped after government data showed an acceleration in consumer inflation in August. 

At 12:45 ET (16:45 GMT), the U.S. dollar index, which tracks the greenback against a basket of six major peers, rose 0.1% to 99.69. 

Gold prices on Wednesday snapped a two-day losing streak, as a fall in oil prices offset expectations for a Federal Reserve rate hike. 

At 13:01 ET (17:01 GMT), spot gold rose 1.2% to $4,344.14/oz, while gold futures advanced 1.2% to $4,385.59/oz. Both contracts had declined over the last couple of sessions on elevated monetary policy tightening odds. 

NEW YORK, Sept 16 (Reuters) - Oil prices fell on Wednesday after reports that Saudi Arabia was offering more crude cargoes via Oman eased some concerns about Middle East supply disruptions, and a smaller-than-expected draw from the U.S. crude stockpile added more downward pressure.

Brent crude futures were down $3.63, or 3.3%, at $105.12 a barrel by 11:23 a.m. EDT (1523 GMT). U.S. West Texas Intermediate futures were down $4.11, or 3.9%, at $101.72.

Saudi Arabia is offering more loadings of crude oil to Asian refiners via ship-to-ship transfers off Oman’s Sohar port, people familiar with the matter said, blunting some of the hit to global supply from attacks on the country’s East-West pipeline to the Red Sea.

Oil prices climbed on Tuesday after Libya’s National Oil Corporation (NOC) said operations were suspended at three oil fields, adding to concerns around disruptions to crude supplies through a key pipeline in Saudi Arabia. 

By 09:45 ET (13:45 GMT), benchmark Brent crude futures had gained 1.7% to $107.59 a barrel, while West Texas Intermediate crude futures advanced by 2.2% to $103.59 a barrel.

The NOC said members of the Petroleum Facilities Guard, which is responsible for securing Libya’s oil sites, closed a vale on the vital hamada-Zawiya crude-loading pipeline, Reuters reported. The NOC may declare force majeure should the value remain closed or other fields are shut down, the news agency added.