Financial Markets
Oil gets boost from China, US economic reports
Last Updated:2013-01-25 00:00 | Shanghai Daily
 Save  Print   E-mail

The price of oil rose yesterday on positive economic news from the US and China.

Benchmark oil gained 72 cents to finish at US$95.95 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

There are signs that oil demand is picking up in China. HSBC's monthly purchasing managers' index, which gauges manufacturing activity in China, rose for the fifth consecutive month in January to 51.9 from December's 51.5. Readings above 50 indicate expansion. More manufacturing means more energy consumption, which should push oil prices higher.

In the US, the number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits fell last week to the lowest level in five years, evidence that employers are cutting fewer jobs and may step up hiring.

Drivers doing the daily commute to work saw pump prices rise slightly overnight to an average of US$3.32 a gallon. That's up 3 cents from a week ago.

The Energy Information Administration said oil supplies rose by 2.8 million barrels last week, more than analysts expected. That pushed oil stockpiles to 363.1 million barrels, up 8.5 percent from year-ago levels. But gasoline supplies dropped by 1.7 million barrels as demand rose and refineries slowed down, according to the Energy Department's statistical arm. Analysts had been expecting an increase in gasoline stocks.

On Wednesday, oil dropped by US$1.45 per barrel after crude shipments through the Seaway pipeline from Cushing, Okla., to refineries on the Gulf Coast had to be cut to less than half because of limited capacity. Supplies of benchmark crude at the crucial Cushing hub remain at the highest level in 20 years. That's expected to fall as the pipeline carries more crude.

Brent crude, used to price international varieties of oil, rose 48 cents to end at US$113.28 per barrel on the ICE Futures exchange in London.

In other energy futures trading on Nymex:

- Wholesale gasoline rose 3 cents to finish at US$2.86 per gallon.

- Natural gas fell 11 cents to end at US$3.45 per 1,000 cubic feet.

- Heating oil added less than a penny to finish at US$3.09 a gallon.

0
Share to 
Related Articles:
Most Popular
BACK TO UP
Edition:
Chinese | BIG5 | Deutsch
Link:    
Xinhuanet | Chinadaily.com.cn | People's Daily Online | China.org.cn | CNTV | China.com | Global Times | Ecns.cn | China Youth International | Visit Beijing | Women of China | Taiwan.cn
About CE.cn | About the Economic Daily | Contact us
Copyright 2011 China Economic Net. All right reserved