  We present new molecular dynamics results for the pressure of the pure hard
disk fluid up to the hexatic transition (about reduced density 0.9). The data
combined with the known virial coefficients (up to $B_{10}$) are used to build
an equation of state, to estimate higher-order virial coefficients, and also to
obtain a better value of $B_{10}$. Finite size effects are discussed in detail.
The ``van der Waals-like'' loop reported in literature in the vicinity of the
fluid/hexatic transition is explained by suppressed density fluctuations in the
canonical ensemble. The inflection point on the pressure-density dependence is
predicted by the equation of state even if the hexatic phase simulation data
are not considered.
