Crude oil prices followed equities higher Wednesday on the New York Mercantile Exchange, closing in on $86 per barrel.
After several jittery days, equities rose in Asia and Europe. Oil also found support from a shifting balance between the U.S. dollar and the euro, which traded at $1.3117 from Tuesday's $1.2981.
January delivery light, sweet crude oil added $1.64 to $85.75 per barrel. Heating oil prices gained 4.8 cents to $2.3724 per gallon. Reformulated gasoline blendstock prices rose 6.74 cents to $2.2542 per gallon. Henry Hub natural gas prices rose 1.3 cents to $4.193 per million British thermal units.
At the pump, the national average price of unleaded gasoline added 1 cent to to $2.864 per gallon from Tuesday's $2.854, AAA said.