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EIA stocks data due later Thursday

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US, eurozone inflation due Friday

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OPEC+ meets June 2 to discuss supply cuts

(Updates prices at 1151 GMT)

By Paul Carsten

LONDON, May 30 (Reuters) -

Oil prices were broadly steady on Thursday, ahead of U.S.

crude oil stockpiles data, inflation data and an OPEC+ meeting

to decide on supply cuts through the rest of the week.

Brent futures were down 18 cents or 0.2% to

$83.42 a barrel as of 1151 GMT, while U.S. West Texas

Intermediate (WTI) crude fell 4 cents or 0.05% to $79.19.

Both benchmarks are headed for monthly losses, with Brent

futures on track for a decline of more than 5% from last month,

while WTI was poised for a slide of over 3%.

U.S. crude oil inventories fell last week, down 6.49 million

barrels against analyst projections of a 1.9 million barrel

draw, according to market sources citing American Petroleum

Institute figures on Wednesday.

Data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)

is due later on Thursday.

Yet the healthier demand data wasn't enough to bolster

prices, said Yeap Jun Rong, market strategist at IG.

"The broader risk-off environment has translated to some

downward pressures on oil prices, which overrides the

larger-than-expected drawdown in U.S. crude inventories from the

recent API data," Yeap said.

Despite stronger U.S. crude appetite, global oil inventories

rose throughout April due to soft fuel demand. That may

strengthen the case for OPEC+ producers, which include the

Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and

allies including Russia, to keep supply cuts in place when they

meet on June 2, OPEC+ delegates and analysts say.

"A greater driver for oil prices ahead may revolve around

the upcoming OPEC+ meeting this weekend, which could see OPEC

members extending their current production cuts potentially till

the end of the third quarter to support prices," Yeap added.

Investors are also keeping an eye on key inflation data,

with the U.S. personal consumption expenditures index -- the

Fed's preferred measure of inflation -- and euro zone consumer

prices due on Friday.

If inflation remains higher than policymakers' hopes,

central banks such as the Federal Reserve could keep interest

rates higher for longer. Those expectations have already put

pressure on oil markets, with Brent settling at its lowest in

more than three months on May 23.

Higher borrowing costs tend to tie down funds and

consumption, a negative for crude demand and prices. The Fed is

now seen cutting rates in September at the earliest, compared to

a June start that had been expected by markets at the beginning

of the year.

U.S. economic activity continued to expand from early April

through mid-May but firms grew more pessimistic about the future

while inflation increased at a modest pace, a Fed survey showed.