Dec. 28 (Bloomberg) -- Crude oil may fall on speculation that U.S. inventories will rise after the start of the new year and on forecasts for warmer weather.

Nine of 17 analysts surveyed, or 53 percent, said oil prices will decline through Jan. 4. Seven of the respondents, or 41 percent, said prices will rise, and one predicted little change. Last week, 47 percent of respondents said oil would hover between $90 and $93 a barrel this week.

U.S. companies usually cut oil inventories in December because some states along the Gulf of Mexico levy taxes on the amount in storage at year's end. Temperatures in most of the lower 48 states will be above normal from Jan. 1 to Jan. 9, according to the National Weather Service.

Crude oil for February delivery rose $2.69, or 2.9 percent, to $96 a barrel this week on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Prices fell 62 cents, or 0.6 percent today. Futures reached a record $99.29 on Nov. 21.

The oil survey has correctly predicted the direction of prices 54 percent of the time since its introduction in April 2004.

     Bloomberg's survey of oil analysts and traders, conducted
each Thursday, asks for an assessment of whether crude oil
futures are likely to rise, fall or remain neutral in the coming
week. The results were:

                    RISE      NEUTRAL    FALL
                     7          1         9

To contact the reporter on this story: Mark Shenk in New York at mshenk1@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: December 28, 2007 17:16 EST