Prices for U.S. benchmark oil futures settled nearly 6% higher on Friday, leading front-month prices to post a solid gain for the week. “Concerns that events in the Middle East could spiral out of control after Iran warned Israel of the consequences of a ground invasion [into Gaza] raising concerns that we might see disruptions in the Straits of Hormuz,” a key oil chokepoint, said Michael Hewson, chief market analyst at CMC Markets UK. November West Texas Intermediate crude CLX23 rose $4.78, or 5.8%, to settle at $87.69 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange, the highest front-month contract finish since Oct. 3, according to Dow Jones Market Data. Prices rose 5.9% for the week.
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