Oil prices in China close to $94

Oil prices rose to near US $94 on Monday, supported by signs of economic recovery in the U.S. and China. Benchmark oil for February delivery was up 33 cents to $93.89 per barrel at late afternoon Bangkok time in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange, according to a report of the Associated Press. Brent crude, used to price international varieties of oil, was up 27 cents to $110.91 per barrel on the ICE Futures exchange in London. In other energy futures trading on Nymex: - Wholesale gasoline was almost unchanged at $2.755 a gallon. - Heating oil rose 1.5 cents to $3.023 a gallon. - Natural gas rose 3.8 cents to $3.365 per 1,000 cubic feet.