Oil

U.S. oil prices eked out a gain Thursday as the U.S. government's weekly oil-inventory report showed another increase in stockpiles of crude oil.

Oil prices surged Wednesday after Iran's oil minister called the pact struck among Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Venezuela and Russia to limit oil production a "first step" toward stabilizing the market.

Royal Dutch Shell PLC on Monday completed its roughly $50 billion acquisition of BG Group.

U.S. crude prices fell 3% to below $27 per barrel, dragged down by continuing worries about the global oversupply of crude and declines in the wider financial markets.

Oil prices pulled back Wednesday even as weekly data from the U.S. Energy Department showed a surprise decrease in crude-oil stockpiles.

Oil prices declined again Tuesday, hitting the lowest level since 2003, with the International Energy Agency's warning of high stockpiles ramping up the urgency to sell.

Chesapeake Energy Corp. said Monday that it "has no plans to pursue bankruptcy" after reports intensified such fears, cutting its stock in half in early trading.

Oil prices wavered on Thursday with support from a weaker dollar, but analysts see the global oversupply of crude preventing a sustainable rally.

Oil prices rose in the face of a multisession losing streak Wednesday, with help from a weaker dollar and shrinking motor fuel stockpiles in the U.S.  Light, sweet crude for May delivery recently gained $1.07, or 2.8%, to $39.35 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

Global stocks were mostly higher Friday as oil prices rose and the dollar began to climb back from two days of steep declines.

Members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries are planning to meet with Russian energy officials and other oil producers in Doha on April 17 to hash out an agreement to limit output, the Qatari oil ministry said Wednesday.

Falling commodities prices led global stocks lower Tuesday as investors waited for guidance from the Federal Reserve on the course of U.S. interest rates.

The number of rigs drilling for oil and natural gas in the U.S. fell by nine to 480 in the latest week, the lowest level on record, according to Baker Hughes Inc. data going back to late 1948.

Oil prices fell Thursday as expectations ebbed that major producers would agree on an output freeze.

Oil prices surged to a three-month high Wednesday after government data showed demand for gasoline and diesel fuel was far higher than even bullish expectations.

Oil prices surged Monday on hopes that major producers would agree to freeze supply and as positive U.S. economic data fueled optimism about robust demand.

Oil prices rose Friday on expectations of another large drop in U.S. drilling. Prices held their gains after U.S. data showed stronger-than-expected job growth in February.

Oil prices slipped Wednesday ahead of official weekly U.S. government data on domestic crude stockpiles, after an industry group reported a surge in inventories late the day before.

Oil markets rose to a two-month high Tuesday as traders focused on the possibility of an output agreement among large producers.

Stocks struggled to hang on to April gains as a series of sour earnings reports and disappointing economic data raised doubts about the strength of the U.S. economy.