West Texas
Intermediate crude rebounded from a four-week low as a report showing that the
U.S. economy grew at a slower pace in the first quarter than previously
estimated spurred speculation the Federal Reserve would maintain stimulus
measures.
Futures
rose along with equities and gold. The dollar fell to a three-week low against
the euro. Earlier, crude tumbled as much as 1.6 percent on the Commerce
Department report, which showed
WTI crude
for July delivery advanced 36 cents, or 0.4 percent, to $93.49 a barrel at
11:41 a.m. on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Oil touched $91.65, the lowest
level since May 2. The volume of all futures traded was 20 percent above the
100-day average for this time of day.
Brent oil
for July settlement dropped 3 cents to $102.40 a barrel on the London-based ICE
Futures Europe exchange. Volume for all contracts was 13 percent lower than the
100-day average. The European benchmark grade traded at a $8.91 premium to WTI.
The spread was $8.89 yesterday, the widest based on closing prices since May
15.
The
Standard & Poor’s 500 Index gained 0.6 percent, and the Dow Jones
Industrial Average increased 0.4 percent. Gold climbed as much as 1.9 percent.
The dollar
fell as much as 0.9 percent against the euro. A weaker dollar and stronger euro
boost commodities’ appeal as an alternate investment.
Earlier,
futures maintained losses after the Energy Information Administration reported
that