Commodities Prices Edge Ahead

Commodities prices were modestly higher at the New York Mercantile Exchange Wednesday, and oil was ticking up in advance of the newest Energy Department inventory data.

Futures for crude oil were up 30 cents to $60.99 a barrel at the Nymex, and heating oil was adding 1 cent to $1.76 a gallon. Gasoline was adding 1 cent to $1.86 a gallon.

Natural gas sat out the rally, slipping a penny to $7.46 per million British thermal units.

As for metals, gold was rising $1.50 to $647.70 an ounce. Copper rose 3 cents to $2.74 a pound, while silver was unchanged at $12.99 an ounce.

Cocoa and sugar eased, but coffee was edging ahead at the New York Board of Trade.