COMMODITIES

Oil rose 2 percent on Wednesday to touch a six-month high over $62 a barrel as government data showed a steep drop in U.S. crude and gasoline inventories ahead of the summer driving season.

Oil prices briefly pushed above $62 a barrel on Wednesday to touch a new six-month high on bullish inventory data and a spate of refinery accidents in the United States, in spite of weak market fundamentals.

Oil prices pushed above $61 a barrel on Wednesday to touch a new six-month high on bullish inventory data and a spate of refinery accidents in the United States, in spite of weak market fundamentals.

Oil prices firmed above $60 a barrel on Wednesday to touch a new six-month high on bullish inventory data and a spate of refinery accidents in the United States, in spite of weak market fundamentals.

Oil prices rose above $60 a barrel on Wednesday, hitting a new six-month high, as investors awaited more U.S. oil inventory data and kept a close watch on equities for direction.

The World Bank President Robert Zoellick said Monday that the pace of decline in the global economy is set to slow and it could see resumed growth as early as late 2009.

Oil prices steadied above $60 a barrel on Wednesday after touching a six-month high a day earlier, as investors awaited more U.S. oil inventory data and kept a close watch on equities for direction.

Oil rose to a new six-month high above $60 a barrel on Tuesday as unrest in key producer Nigeria and a U.S. refinery outage kindled concerns over oil fundamentals after weeks of equity-led rallies.

Oil rose to a fresh six month high above $60 a barrel on Tuesday as unrest in key producer Nigeria and a U.S. refinery outage kindled concerns over oil fundamentals after weeks of equity-led rallies.

Asian shares climbed to their highest level in seven months on Tuesday on fresh hopes the global recession is easing, and oil hovered at six-month peaks as supply concerns helped buoy up prices.

U.S. crude for June rose above $60 a barrel ahead of expiry on Tuesday, extending gains from a six-month high settlement a day earlier amid supply concerns over Nigeria and a U.S. refinery.

Asian shares climbed to their highest level in seven months on Tuesday on fresh hopes the global recession is easing, while oil hovered at six-month peaks as supply concerns helped buoy prices.

Oil prices steadied around $59 a barrel on Tuesday after settling a day earlier at a six-month high on supply concerns from Nigeria and a key U.S. refinery, as investors looked to equities and the dollar for further cues.

Oil rose to around $57 a barrel on Monday as traders saw the previous session's near 4 percent fall as excessive and violence in Africa's top oil exporter Nigeria lent support.

Oil bounced back to $57 a barrel on Monday, recouping some of the previous session's near 4 percent loss, buoyed by short-covering despite a still uncertain outlook for the global economy.

Oil hovered little changed above $56 a barrel on Monday, pausing from the previous session's near 4 percent loss, as the market awaited further economic data and movements in equities markets for directions.

Oil hovered little changed above $56 a barrel on Monday, pausing from the previous session's near 4 percent loss, as the market awaited further economic data and movements in equities markets for directions.

The U.S. oil price fell almost $1 to below $58 on Friday, pressured by weak demand and as the U.S. dollar firmed against the euro.

The U.S. oil price fell toward $58 on Friday, pressured by weak demand and as the U.S. dollar firmed against the euro.

The U.S. oil price firmed slightly toward $59 on Friday as global stock markets rose, although weak demand capped oil's gains.

Oil prices rose toward $59 on Friday as European equities opened higher, shrugging off gloomy German economic data and a firmer dollar.

International Energy Agency on Thursday said global demand in oil consumption will fall 3% in line with the OPEC agreements rising prices due to sentiment rather than supply and fundamentals demands.

Oil fell below $57 a barrel on Thursday after the International Energy Agency said global oil consumption will fall this year at the fastest rate since 1981.

Oil prices fell toward $57 a barrel on Thursday, after a 1-percent plus decline the previous day, as equity markets slipped, weighing on optimism for economic recovery and energy demand.

Oil prices fell below $58 a barrel on Thursday, after a 1-percent plus decline the previous day, as equity markets slipped, weighing on optimism for economic recovery and energy demand.

The remarkable spending on commodities out of China continues... this single country demand continues to make old sign posts useless.

The U.S. dollar fell to a four-month low on Wednesday as optimism about a global recovery and concerns about U.S. fiscal health reduced its safe haven appeal, while oil held near $60 a barrel on hopes for more energy demand as inventories tighten.

China's voracious appetite for commodities lifted imports of copper and iron ore to new highs in April, despite a global economic slowdown, while the world'sdemand for China's exports remained weak.

Oil prices rose more than a dollar on Tuesday to a six-month high above $59 a barrel, boosted partly by a weaker dollar and gains on equity markets.