Baker Hughes BKR on Friday reported that the number of active U.S. rigs drilling for oil rose by 10 to 609 this week. That followed declines in each of the three previous weeks. Last week, data showed the number of oil rigs fell by 10. The total active U.S. rig count, which includes those drilling for natural gas, also climbed by 2 to 761, according to Baker Hughes. Oil prices continued to trade higher, with the March West Texas Intermediate crude contract CLH23 up $1.30, or 1.7%, at $79.36 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.
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