West Texas Intermediate crude advanced to a six-week high amid concern that the crisis in Ukraine is escalating. Brent’s gains were limited by signs of slowing economic growth in China . Futures gained as much as 1 percent in New York. Ukraine began an offensive against separatists in its restive east, recapturing an airport amid claims that Russian special forces were supporting anti-government groups. China’s gross domestic product expanded by a seasonally adjusted 1.4 percent in the first quarter, down from 1.7 percent in the previous three months, according to the National Bureau of Statistics. “Oil is being driven more by the Ukraine situation,” said Guy Wolf, global head of market analytics at Marex Spectron Group in London, by e-mail. “Does this situation mean more intense disagreements elsewhere as in the Cold War ? In a tight market, such as WTI, anything can have an amplified effect.” WTI for […]