The cost of oil futures is moderately increased today , as rising tensions in the Ukraine on the eve of the referendum on the accession of the Russian Federation to the Crimea raised concerns about Russian oil supplies .

Note that Russia sent additional troops and equipment to the Crimea on Friday and repeated his threat to invade other parts of Ukraine , not wanting to listen to Western politicians who call for an end to the aggression against Ukraine. Conflict supports global oil markets as traders fear that this could lead to disruption of oil supplies from Russia - one of the world's largest oil producer .

Rising oil prices were also supported by weak data from China, where economic growth is showing further signs of weakness that can suppress an increase in world oil demand .

" Poor economic data from China and a referendum on the annexation of the Crimea on Sunday provide a consistently high risk aversion in the markets ," said Carsten Fritsch , senior analyst for oil in Commerzbank.

Meanwhile, adding that today the International Energy Agency raised its forecast for growth in global oil demand in 2014 by 100 thousand barrels per day - to 92.7 million barrels , or 1.4 million barrels per day higher than in 2013 , follows from March report organization. In February of the world 's oil deliveries increased on a monthly basis to 600,000 barrels - up to 92.81 million barrels per day on increased OPEC production to 500,000 barrels.

The growth of oil supply from non -OPEC countries in 2013 amounted to 1.3 million barrels per day. In 2014, the figure, according to IEA projections , will be 1.7 million barrels per day in 2014 , the highest in at least the early 1990s .

Oil on the stock exchanges today also more expensive due to technical buying oil futures , which regains its decline over the previous trading session . Attractive terms for purchases formed after oil prices fell to their lowest values ​​in five weeks .

April futures price for U.S. light crude oil WTI (Light Sweet Crude Oil) rose to $ 98.82 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX).

April futures price for North Sea Brent crude oil mixture rose 90 cents to $ 108.37 a barrel on the London exchange ICE Futures Europe.

Gold prices rose sharply today , reaching the highest level in six months , benefiting from the fall in stock prices , which was due to tensions between Russia and Ukraine and the problems of economic growth in China.

Since the beginning of the week the price of the precious metal rose more than 2 percent , and are on their way to their sixth consecutive weekly increase , as risk appetite decreased by increasing political tensions and economic problems.

Gold rose 14 percent this year after a 28 percent decline in 2013 , ending a 12- year increase in a row.

" As for Ukraine , the impact on gold can disappear quickly if there is a diplomatic solution , whereas the structural changes that occur in China can affect the precious metals longer," reported Deutsche Bank. "But we still believe that the U.S. labor market and the Fed's policy will play a major factor in the movement of prices , and in the long run you will see the price drop ."

It should also be noted that the rise in prices to attract new investors and simultaneously reduces demand in the physical market in developing countries. In the future, gold will meet increasingly strong resistance , and significant growth opportunities would need a stronger euro . Reduction of physical demand in China , at least temporarily prevent a new rally.

In addition, data showed that the world's largest reserves of gold exchange-traded fund secured SPDR Gold Trust rose yesterday to 2.1 tons - up to 813.3 tons.

Demand in China - the world's largest consumer of gold declined and prices on the Shanghai Gold Exchange were at $ 4 per ounce lower than the spot price in London , while at the beginning of the year, prices in China were $ 20 higher.

The cost of the April gold futures on the COMEX today rose to $ 1385.20 per ounce.