BANGKOK—Oil rose Friday ahead of the release of a key U.S. jobs report that traders will examine for clues to the health of the U.S. economy.
Benchmark oil for July delivery was up 36 cents to $95.12 per barrel at late afternoon Bangkok time in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract gained $1.02 to finish at $94.76 a barrel Thursday.
The U.S. Labor Department will release its employment report for May later in the day. A good result is expected, following a drop in jobless claims reported on Thursday.
Oil prices were also being supported by a weaker dollar and a bigger-than-expected drop in crude inventories reported by the U.S. Energy Department and the American Petroleum Institute for the week ending May 31, said Matt Basi at CMC Markets in a commentary.
Brent crude, a benchmark for many international oil varieties, rose 55 cents to $104.16 a barrel on the ICE Futures exchange in London.
