Crude oil prices once again shot up on
On Tuesday, crude-oil futures for light sweet crude for March delivery closed at $77.01/barrel (higher by $2.88 or 3.9%). Last week, crude gained 4%. In January 2010, crude ended lower by 8.3%. On a year to date basis, crude is lower by 2.7%.
In the currency market on Tuesday, the dollar index, which weighs the strength of dollar against the basket of six other currencies slipped from its recent nine month highs and fell by almost 0.8%. The euro rose 1.3% as euro-zone finance ministers met in
Among economic report scheduled for the day, the Federal Reserve Bank of
Last Friday, the Energy Information Administration reported an increase of 2.42 million barrels in
In the latest monthly report, Paris-based IEA reported on last Thursday, that it expects global oil demand this year to be 170,000 barrels a dayhigher than previously expected. Demand is estimated at 86.5 million barrels a day, representing an increase of 1.6 million barrels a day compared with 2009 levels.
Among other energy products on Tuesday, gasoline for March delivery rose 6 cents to $1.99 a gallon, while heating-oil for the same month gained 8 cents to $2 a gallon.
Also on Tuesday, natural gas sold off in the late morning and closed down 2.7% at $5.32 per MMBtu.
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
At the MCX, crude oil for February delivery closed Rs 111 (3.2%) higher at Rs 3,543/barrel. Natural gas for February delivery closed lower by Rs 5.7 (2.2%) at Rs 248.5/mmbtu.