UPI:Crude oil prices supported by inventory report
NEW YORK, Feb. 5 (UPI) -- Crude oil prices held above $97 per barrel Wednesday with gains held in check by a U.S. stockpile report that showed a marginal build up.
The Energy Information Administration said crude oil inventories rose by 400,000 barrels in the week ending Friday. At 358.1 million barrels, supplies remained in the upper half of the average range for this time of year, EIA said.
West Texas Intermediate, light, sweet crude oil on the New York Mercantile Exchange added 14 cents to reach $97.33 per barrel.
Reformulated blendstock gasoline prices added 3.87 cents to $2.6418 per gallon. Heating oil prices gained 1.32 cents to $2.9961 per gallon.
Natural gas shed 31 cents to settle at $5.06 per million British thermal units.
At the pump, the national average price for a gallon of unleaded fell to $3.272 per gallon from Tuesday's $3.274, the AAA Daily Fuel Gauge Report said.
