The contract was at US$85.42 at 10:19 a.m. London time. Data on Friday showed that US employers created jobs in March at the fastest rate in three years Crude oil futures trading in New York touched an 18-month high on Monday as the latest US jobs report bolstered optimism of a speedy global recovery from one of the worst financial crisis in decades. A healthy world economy means strong demand for energy. Crude oil for May delivery rose as much as US$1.02, or 1.2%, to US$85.89 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange, the highest intraday price since Oct. 9, 2008. The contract was at US$85.42 at 10:19 a.m. London time. Oil futures increased US$1.11, or 1.3%, to settle at US$84.87 on April 1 after encouraging reports on manufacturing from across the world. The New York Mercantile Exchange was closed on April 2 on account of Good Friday. Data on Friday showed that US employers created jobs in March at the fastest rate in three years. Non-farm payrolls rose 162,000, only the third increase since the US economy fell into recession in late 2007 and the largest since March 2007. US manufacturing is also expanding at its fastest pace for more than five years. Chinese manufacturing is picking up and Japanese business sentiment is also improving.

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