Oil Price Up Past $104 Amid Ukraine Tensions

NEW YORK (AP) — The price of oil rose Monday on the prospect of higher demand in the U.S. and escalating tensions in Ukraine.

Benchmark U.S. crude for May delivery rose 31 cents to close at $104.05 a barrel in New York. It's only the second time since September that oil has closed above $104.

Brent crude, a benchmark for international varieties of oil, was up $1.74 cents to close at $109.07 in London. If sustained, the jump in Brent crude, which is used by many U.S. refineries to make fuels, will likely make for higher U.S. retail gasoline prices in the weeks ahead.

Ukraine's government announced Sunday it was sending in troops to try to quash a pro-Russian insurgency in eastern Ukraine despite warnings from the Kremlin. Markets have been rattled by concern Western sanctions against Moscow might disrupt Russian exports of oil and gas.

In other energy futures trading in New York:

  • Wholesale gasoline rose 2.4 cents to close at $3.038 a gallon.
  • Natural gas fell 6 cents to close at $4.560 per 1,000 cubic feet.
  • Heating oil rose 4.6 cents to close at $2.979 a gallon.

AP Writer Pablo Gorondi in Budapest contributed to this report.



WHAT DO YOU THINK?


Generated by readers, the comments included herein do not reflect the views and opinions of Rigzone. All comments are subject to editorial review. Off-topic, inappropriate or insulting comments will be removed.


Most Popular Articles