81.   Like gas prices, crude prices have recently fallen, helped by the United Nations agreement to let Iraq begin exporting limited quantities of oil.

82.   Low crude prices are driving major oil companies together in attempt to reduce exploration and marketing costs.

83.   Meanwhile, the behavior of crude prices this year has discouraged stockpiling of extra petroleum.

84.   Middle East tensions often translate into higher crude prices amid threats to the disruption of supply.

85.   Most traders attributed the rise in heating oil to higher crude prices rather than to forecasts of a late winter cold snap in the northeastern U.S. later this week.

86.   Middle East tension often prompts a rise in crude prices and expectations of higher profits for producers not affected by fluctuations in Middle East supply.

87.   Motorists will benefit from falling retail gasoline prices, already at their lowest in two years, as wholesale gasoline and crude prices drop.

88.   Oil companies led decliners for a second day amid concern that crude prices could slide as production expands.

89.   Oil issues gained on higher crude prices as a potential strike by Venezuelan tanker pilots threatened to disrupt supplies.

90.   Oil shares have suffered in recent weeks on falling crude prices.