Baker Hughes data show a weekly climb in the U.S. oil-drilling rig count

Baker Hughes on Friday reported that the number of active U.S. rigs drilling for oil was up by four to 495 this week. That followed a fall of just one oil rig the week before, Baker Hughes data show. The total active U.S. rig count, which includes those drilling for natural gas, climbed by six to 610, according to Baker Hughes. Oil prices continued to trade higher in Friday dealings, but traded below the session’s highs. March West Texas Intermediate crude was up 37 cents, or 0.4%, at $86.98 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

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