Crude oil tops $83 per barrel

A report from China that exports had risen and freezing weather in the northern hemisphere pointed to stronger demand, while the dollar index, measuring the dollar against a basket of other currencies, sank 0.69 percent.

The price of light, sweet crude in New York added 82 cents from Friday to $83.57 per barrel. Heating oil prices rose 0.0191 cents to $2.2194 per gallon. Reformulated gasoline prices added 0.0316 cents to $2.1869 per gallon.

Natural gas prices fell, dropping 0.202 cents to $5.547 per million British thermal units.

At the pump, the national average price of unleaded gasoline rose to $2.747 per gallon Monday from Sunday's $2.743, AAA said.

Copyright 2010 by United Press International.