Oil prices fall on surprise US inventory build; equity rally aids

By Keith Wallis SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Oil fell on Thursday on a surprise build in U.S. inventory levels and a firm dollar, but a recovery in Asian shares after Wall Street posted a near 2 percent gain checked losses. Asian investors were focussed on the increase in U.S. crude inventories last week, but sentiment had been supported by the rally on Wall Street, said Jonathan Barratt, chief investment officer at Sydney's Ayers Alliance. "Although oil may have escaped this round of bearishness, it m