11.   Crude futures finished the week on a high note, led by a rise in gasoline futures, despite fears an expected OPEC output cut may not be forthcoming.

12.   Crude and other products futures ended higher, supported by wintry weather and talk of output cuts.

13.   He said the output cut was likely to last six months, depending on market conditions.

14.   Members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries have tried to shore up weak crude prices by coordinating output cuts together with Russia and four other non-OPEC producers.

15.   Mexican Energy Secretary Luis Tellez said Wednesday that Venezuela is holding up a possible deepening of world crud oil output cuts by failing to fulfill its existing pledge.

16.   Ministers announced the latest output cut in a terse communique, after conferring privately by telephone.

17.   Naimi said earlier that an agreement on output cuts would definitely boost prices.

18.   Nearby crude futures bounced after Saudi Oil Minister Ali Naimi said Monday that Saudi Arabia, Mexico and Venezuela supported the importance of an output cut by OPEC members.

19.   Oil output cuts announced by OPEC Wednesday have so far created little inflationary pressure, the ministers said after a late-night meeting.

20.   Oil prices have stabilized somewhat since OPEC first began hinting at an output cut two weeks ago.