Crude oil prices dropped significantly on
On Friday, crude-oil futures for light sweet crude for March delivery closed at $74.54/barrel (lower by $1.54 or 2%). For the week, crude ended lower by 4.7%. On a year to date basis till date, crude is lower by 8%.
Crude ended FY 2009 higher by 78%, the highest yearly gain since 1999. It reached a high of $82 earlier in October 2009 and hit a low of $33.98 on
During the week, in the weekly inventory report, the EIA reported that crude inventories fell by 471,000 barrels in the week ended
In the currency market on Friday, the dollar index, which weighs the strength of dollar against the basket of six other currencies stayed steady against most of its counterparts. The dollar strengthened on fears that
Earlier during the week, in the latest report, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries said that world oil demand is forecast to grow by 800,000 barrels a day this year to average 85.1 million barrels a day, representing no major change from last month's forecast.
Among other energy products on Friday, reformulated gasoline for February delivery fell 1.3 cents to $1.97 a gallon and heating oil for February delivery dropped 4.5 cents to $1.94 a gallon.
Also on Friday, bucking the trend in energy, February natural-gas futures rose 21.5 cents, or 3.8%, to $5.82 per million British thermal units.