Crude oil prices held steady in New York through the weekend after a week of declines that cut prices about 2.5 percent.
Economic data have not been supportive of late. Last week brought a resurgence in first-time jobless claims and weak reports on U.S. manufacturing.
Light, sweet crude oil prices, closing at $73.95 Friday, added 9 cents through the weekend to $74.04 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Heating oil prices climbed 0.007 cents from a previous settlement to $1.978 per gallon. Reformulated blendstock gasoline prices shed 0.0005 cents to $1.867 per gallon. Henry Hub natural gas prices dropped 0.071 cents to $4.066 per million British thermal units.
At gas stations, the national average price of unleaded gasoline fell to $2.708 Monday from Sunday's $2. 713, AAA said.
