Crude oil, gasoline futures lower on session

Crude oil prices declined on Friday after steep increases earlier in the week.

May contracts for West Texas Intermediate crude was down $1.96 to $105.62 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange while Brent crude for May delivery dropped $1.27 to $103.73 per barrel.

The declines came on a stronger US dollar and after an Iraqi oil pipeline that was damaged by a bomb on Thursday was repaired on Friday.

Analysts disagree on whether oil prices, which have been volatile recently, will go higher or lower in the next few months.

Nymex April gasoline was 3 cents lower to $2.72 per gallon while May heating oil dropped 5 cents to $2.99 per gallon but May natural gas gained 10 cents to $2.99 per million British thermal units.