Commodities Mostly Advance

Commodities prices were mostly higher early Thursday, including advances in both crude and gold futures.

Oil for April delivery was up 15 cents to $61.97 a barrel at the New York Mercantile Exchange, and reformulated gasoline was rising 1 cent to $1.91 a gallon. Heating oil was fractionally better at $1.77 a gallon.

Natural gas, ahead of the latest weekly inventory data, was down 13 cents at $7.23 per million British thermal units.

Among metals, gold was up $1.50 to $654.40 an ounce, and silver was tacking on 2 cents to $13.13 an ounce.

Copper added 8 cents to $2.86 a pound. The April platinum contract was stronger by $5.90 to $1,198.40 an ounce.