Crude oil prices dropped on
On Wednesday, crude-oil futures for light sweet crude for March delivery closed at $73.67/barrel (lower by $1.04 or 1.4%). During intra day trading, prices rose to a high of $75.14. Last week, crude ended lower by 4.7%. On a year to date basis till date, crude is lower by 8.4%.
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
The Energy department reported in its weekly inventory report today that crude-oil supplies for the week ended
In the currency market on Wednesday, the dollar index, which weighs the strength of dollar against the basket of six other currencies rose marginally. The dollar gained almost 0.4% against the euro.
Last 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 Wednesday, March gasoline closed at $1.9474 a gallon, down 3 cents, or 1.5%. Heating oil for March delivery sank 3 cents, or 1.8%, to $1.9267 a gallon.
Also on Wednesday, natural gas futures for March delivery closed down 21 cents, or 3.8%, to $5.224 per million British thermal units, ahead of Thursday's inventories report.
At the MCX, crude oil for February delivery closed Rs 32 (0.92%) lower at Rs 3,445/barrel. Natural gas for February delivery closed lower by Rs 18.7 (7.1%) at Rs 243.9/mmbtu.