Closing prices for crude oil, gold and other commodities

Benchmark U.S. crude oil for February delivery rose $1.62 to $73.81 per barrel Friday

Benchmark U.S. crude oil for February delivery rose $1.62 to $73.81 per barrel Friday. Brent crude for March delivery rose $1.17 to $78.76 per barrel.

Wholesale gasoline for February delivery was unchanged at $2.11 a gallon. February heating oil rose 2 cents to $2.61 a gallon. February natural gas rose 7 cents to $2.89 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Gold for February delivery fell 20 cents to $2,049.80 per ounce. Silver for March delivery rose 13 cents to $23.32 per ounce, and March copper fell 3 cents to $3.81 per pound.

The dollar rose to 144.68 yen from 144.59 Japanese yen. The euro fell to $1.0943 from $1.0948.