Oil, metals prices see gains

Crude oil prices were higher on Friday, in light trade ahead of the Christmas holiday next week.

West Texas Intermediate crude for February delivery added $2.24 to $93.30 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange while February contracts for Brent crude gained $1.72 to $92.60 per barrel.

Nymex January gasoline was 7 cents higher to $2.40 per gallon while February heating oil was up 4 cents to $2.63 per gallon and March natural gas added 3 cents to $7.31 per million British thermal units.

Metals prices were higher in New York.

February gold added $12.60 to $815.80 per troy ounce while March silver was up 15 cents to $14.49 per troy ounce and January platinum traded $18.80 higher to $1,536.30 per troy ounce.

Among base metals, copper added 13 cents to $3.10 per pound.

Corn and soybeans were both higher on the Chicago Board of Trade on fears that insufficient rain in Argentina could hurt crops.

March corn was up 6 cents to a $4.43 per bushel after hitting a 9-month high at $4.48 per bushel earlier in the session, while March soybeans was 16.25 cents higher to a 34-year high of $11.95 per bushel.

March CBOT wheat, however, dropped 5 cents to $9.49 per bushel on predicted storms in growing regions of the US.

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