SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Crude-oil futures ended higher Wednesday, supported by a decline in inventories and solid U.S. macroeconomic data on housing and durable-goods orders. Crude for August delivery (US:clq2) advanced 85 cents, or 1.1%, to $80.21 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Natural gas for the same month's delivery (US:ngn12) ended the day up 0.3% higher at $2.77 per million British thermal units as an earlier rally fizzled.
