WTI prices volatile on data, OPEC quota concerns

Crude oil prices were volatile Friday before the close of floor trade on the New York Mercantile Exchange after rising on concerns that the Organization of Oil Exporting Countries will hold production quotas steady in the face of tight supplies and after the US Labor Department reported that there were 4,000 fewer jobs in the US last month.

West Texas Intermediate crude for October delivery was trading even at $76.30 per barrel at a quarter past 2 pm in on Nymex, but a few minutes before that it was down 2 cents after being up 65 cents at $76.95 per barrel at around a quarter until 2 pm.

Nymex October gasoline was up 2 cents to $2.00 per gallon, while October heating oil traded even at $2.14 per gallon and October natural gas was 16 cents lower to $5.50 per million British thermal units.

At-the-pump gasoline prices in the US was up 1.7 cents to an average of $2.824 per gallon overnight, according to AAA and the Oil Price Information Service.