By Mark Shenk Dec. 19 (Bloomberg) -- Crude oil rose for the first time in six days on speculation demand from refineries will climb next month because of increased margins. The profit margin, or “crack” spread, for turning three barrels of crude oil into two barrels of gasoline and one of heating oil, rose 10 percent to $10.9596 today, the highest since September. OPEC made the biggest output cut in more than a decade this week to bolster prices. Crude oil for January delivery rose 47 cents, or 1.3 percent, to $36.69 a barrel at 10:30 a.m. on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Futures touched $33.44, the lowest since April 2, 2004. The January contract expires today. The more- active February contract increased $1.23, or 3 percent, to $42.90 a barrel. Brent crude oil for February settlement rose $1.44, or 3.3 percent, to $44.80 a barrel on London’s ICE Futures Europe exchange. To contact the reporter on this story: Mark Shenk in New York at mshenk1@bloomberg.net.

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