Oil prices rose Friday, with Brent climbing above $60 a barrel for the first time this year, as improving economic data from Europe boosted hopes for crude demand. Brent, the global benchmark, closed up 3.8% to $61.52 a barrel on ICE Future Europe, its highest price since Dec. 23. The price of U.S. benchmark crude closed up 3.1% at $52.78 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Both benchmarks rose for the third week in a row, posting their largest three-week percentage gains in nearly four years. Brent prices have risen 26% and Nymex crude has gained 16% since Jan. 23. The gains reflect investors’ expectations that a global glut of oil will be shrinking soon, as energy companies slash production and economic growth spurs greater demand for gasoline and other crude products. Diesel fuel is stored in the U.K. Germany led an acceleration in eurozone economic growth […]