Crude oil futures rose during the mid-morning trade in Asia March 9, as expectations of higher oil demand amid an improved economic climate encouraged buying activity from investors, even as the market recovered from the chaos brought about by an attempted attack on a Saudi oil shipping port. At 11:29 am Singapore time (0329 GMT), the ICE Brent May contract was up by 51 cents/b (0.75%) from the March 8 settle to $68.75/b, while the April NYMEX light sweet crude contract was up by 41 cents/b (0.63%) to $65.46/b. Earlier on March 8, news of an attempted March 7 drone attack on a petroleum storage tank at the heavily protected Ras Tanura port had sent the Brent and NYMEX light sweet crude markers surging, with the front-month Brent contract crossing $71/b briefly. Prices […]