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Friday April 26, 2024

Oil rises

By REUTERS
February 16, 2018

Singapore : Oil prices rose more than 1 percent on Thursday to extend gains from the previous session, lifted by a weak dollar and Saudi comments that it would rather see an undersupplied market than end a deal with OPEC and Russia to withhold production.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were up 84 cents, or 1.4 percent, from their last settlement at $61.44 a barrel at 0604 GMT, adding to a 2.4-percent gain from the day before.

Brent crude futures were at $65.05 per barrel, up 69 cents, or 1.1 percent, extending Wednesday´s 2.6-percent climb.

Prices rose on the back of ongoing weakness in the U.S. dollar against other leading currencies, further supported by rising stock markets, traders said.

A weaker greenback potentially stokes consumption of dollar-denominated commodities as it makes fuel and raw materials cheaper for countries using other currencies.