Crude prices ended higher on Monday, 24 August, 2009. Prices rose on signs of global economic recovery. But dollar's gains limited the rise in crude prices.
On Monday, crude-oil futures for light sweet crude for October delivery closed at $74.37/barrel (higher by $0.48 or 0.6%). During intra day trading, it rose to a high of $74.81. Last week, crude ended higher by 6.1%.
For the month of July, 2009, crude ended lower by a marginal 0.6%. For the second quarter, crude ended higher by 40%. Crude prices had rallied 11.3% in the first quarter of 2009.
Oil prices had reached a high of $147 on 11 July, 2008 but have dropped almost 49% since then. Year to date, in 2009, crude prices are higher by 51.1%.
In the currency market on Monday, the dollar index which weighs the value of dollar against a basket of six other currencies, rose by 0.3%. Last week, the dollar index lost 1.1%.
Also at the Nymex on Monday, September reformulated gasoline gained 5.35 cents, or 2.7%, to $2.0491 a gallon and September heating oil added 1.85 cents, or 1%, to $1.9234 a gallon.
September natural-gas futures rose 11.9 cents, or 4.2%, to $2.923 per million British thermal units. Natural-gas futures fell sharply last Friday to end at a fresh seven-year low, pressured by a glut in supplies.
Crude prices had ended FY 2008 lower by 54%, the largest yearly loss since trading began at Nymex.
At the MCX, crude oil for September delivery closed higher by Rs 33 (0.92%) at Rs 3,616/barrel. Natural gas for September delivery closed higher by Rs 5.1 (3.2%) at Rs 162.7/mmbtu.