By Aaron Sheldrick
TOKYO, Sept 30 (Reuters) - Crude oil futures fell in early Asian trade on Wednesday after U.S. inventories showed a weekly buildup that far exceeded analyst expectations.
The American Petroleum Institute (API) said late on Tuesday that U.S. crude oil stockpiles rose by 4.6 million barrels to 457.8 million barrels in the week to Sept. 25. Analysts polled by Reuters had expected an increase of only 102,000 barrels. API/S EIA/S .
Front-month U.S. crude CLc1 had dropped 49 cents, more than 1 percent, to 44.74 a barrel by 0012 GMT. The contract settled Tuesday's trade at $45.23 a barrel, up 80 cents, or 1.8 percent, on the day.
Brent crude LCOc1 , the global oil benchmark, fell 37 cents to $47.86 a barrel. On Tuesday, the contract rose 89 cents, or 1.9 percent, to $48.23.
The U.S. government's Energy Information Administration (EIA) will issue official weekly inventory data on Wednesday.
Wednesday's session may be more volatile due to the close of September and third-quarter trading, according to some analysts.
U.S. crude is heading for a 9-percent decline this month as the slump in commodities continues amid deepening concerns over China's slowdown in economic growth.
Brent crude is on track to round out September with a nearly 12-percent drop.