Baker Hughes on Friday reported that the number of active U.S. rigs drilling for oil was up by three at 359 this week, following increases in each of the previous three weeks. The total active U.S. rig count, which includes those drilling for natural gas, also climbed by two to stand at 457, according to Baker Hughes. July West Texas Intermediate crude continued to trade modestly higher for the session. The contract was up 13 cents, or 0.2%, to $66.98 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

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