1.   Crude rose after United Nations weapons inspectors in Iraq postponed a visit to a suspected weapons site after Iraqi authorities refused to cooperate with them.

2.   Crude rose after the American Petroleum Institute reported a smaller-than-expected rise in U.S. crude inventories last week.

3.   In other markets, crude rose and palladium fell.

4.   Most analysts expect the API to show overall refinery demand for crude rose last week.

5.   Oil shares fell even as the price of crude rose after Mexico shut down ports in the Gulf of Mexico due to Tropical Storm Dolly, delaying oil exports.

6.   Oil stocks were also up as the price of crude rose.

7.   Oil stocks were up as the price of crude rose.