WTI gains 20 percent in first half of year

Crude oil prices were up on Friday.  Brent crude August contracts had added 20 cents to $73.09 per barrel by late in the day on the International Petroleum Exchange in London.  This took Brent 4.5 percent higher this week and almost 26 percent higher since the beginning of the year.  Meanwhile, West Texas Intermediate crude for August delivery was up 28 cents halfway through the morning session in New York to $73.80 per barrel, a gain of 4 percent on the week and more than 20 percent higher than its price at the beginning of January.