The oil rises on $73

The prices of petroleum rose on $73 by barrel Fridays in Asia in the middle of plans of the expectations OPEC to leave to levels of the production without changes in their meeting the next week.

Benchmark crudefor January delivery was up 76 cents to $73.41 at late afternoon Singapore time in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. On Wednesday, the contract fell 1 cent to settle at $72.65

Investors are also awaiting the meeting of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, which will take place in Angola on Tuesday. The oil cartel isn't expected to announce any changes to production levels.

The trader also are looking for the demand of the evidence for gross petroleum and their products are improving. The Department of Energy that the data relesed at the beginning of this week demonstrated that it demands of the USA for the distillates such as fuel domestic and diesel they were in his more stop from March due to a colder time and an increasing economy, capital of Barclays said.

"Distillate demand showed the first signs of inspiration," Barclays Capital said in a report. "Cold weather should cmpliment the advent of greater trucking activity, thereby providing a boost to demand."

In other Nymex trading in January contracts, heating oil rose 0.6 cent to $1.9634 while gasoline rose 1.05 cent to $1.8625. Natural gas rose 5.7 cents to $5.825 per 1,000 cubic feet.

in London, the gross petroleum of Brent for the February delivery rose 62 cents to $73,99 in the interchange of the futures of the ICE.

Also on Globex Friday, January natural-gas futures gained 9 cents, or 1.6%, to $5.86 per million British thermal units.

Natural-gas prices rose more than 5% Thursday, after a report showed weekly U.S. stockpiles dropped sharply as cold temperatures across much of the nation boosted use of heating fuels.

source : The Associated Press, Marketwatch.