Benchmark U.S. crude oil for January delivery rose 14 cents to $70.87 a barrel Wednesday. Brent crude for February delivery rose 18 cents to $73.88 per barrel.

       Wholesale gasoline for January delivery rose 2 cents to $2.13 a gallon. January heating oil was unchanged at $2.22 a gallon. January natural gas rose 5 cents to $3.80 per 1,000 cubic feet.

       Gold for February delivery fell $7.80 to $1,764.50 an ounce. Silver for March delivery fell 37 cents to $21.55 an ounce and March copper fell 8 cents to $4.18 a pound.

       The dollar rose to 114.03 Japanese yen from 113.74 yen. The euro rose to $1.1270 from $1.1257.