Oil futures close up a third straight session as U.S. data hint at higher demand
Oil futures marked a third straight gain on Wednesday, buoyed by gets for higher energy demand, even as U.S. government data showed a seventh straight weekly rise in crude inventories. West Texas Intermediate crude for March delivery (CL) (CL00) (CLH23) rose $1.33, or 1.7%, to settle at $78.47 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange, the highest front-month contract finish since Jan. 31, according to Dow Jones Market Data. March gasoline (RBH23) edged up by 0.2% to $2.4628 a gallon, while March heating oil (HOH23) shed 0.4% to $2.8933 a gallon.