Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Oil above $87 amid improving US consumer demand (AP)

SINGAPORE ? Oil prices hovered above $87 a barrel Tuesday in Asia amid signs of improving consumer demand in the U.S.

Benchmark oil for October delivery was up 22 cents to $87.49 at midday Singapore time in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Crude rose $1.90 to settle at $87.27 on Monday.

In London, Brent crude for October delivery was up 42 cents to $112.30 on the ICE Futures exchange.

Crude has jumped 16 percent from near $76 three weeks ago amid growing investor optimism the U.S. economy may not slip into recession in the second half.

On Monday, the Commerce Department said consumer spending, which accounts for 70 percent of the nation's economic activity, increased in July by the biggest amount in five months.

A rally in global stock markets also helped boost crude prices. The Dow Jones industrial average rose 2.2 percent Monday and most Asia stock markets gained Tuesday.

Some analysts are expect crude to head lower as slowing global economic growth pinches oil demand.

"We still look for weak global demand to win out over the longer term eventually forcing the oil market into fresh low territory," energy consultant Ritterbusch and Associates said in a report.

In other Nymex trading for October contracts, heating oil rose 0.8 cent to $3.03 per gallon and gasoline futures gained 0.6 cent to $2.78 per gallon. Natural gas for September delivery slid 1.5 cents to $3.82 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/energy/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110830/ap_on_bi_ge/oil_prices

beethoven forever young sweeney todd prom fossil hiroshima hiroshima

No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.