Oil prices fell after stronger-than-expected gains in U.S. employment sent the dollar to new highs and raised expectations for interest-rate increases. December crude oil settled down 91 cents, or 2%, to $44.29 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Brent, the global benchmark, lost 56 cents, or 1.2%, to $47.42 a barrel on ICE Futures Europe. U.S. prices fell more than 1% in the minutes immediately after new data showed that U.S. nonfarm payrolls rose a seasonally adjusted 271,000 in October, nearly 50% more than expected. They never recovered, despite the chance that a healthy economy would lead to more people driving and consuming gasoline and oil. Oil had been weighed down by more immediate issues, the large oversupply in the market and the specter of rising interest rates. Many expect the strong economic data will pave the way for the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates in […]