How High Will Oil Go?

(Newser) - Big Oil executives today were grilled by the Senate on soaring prices, and Sen. Patrick Leahy asked for their salaries, the AP reports. Here's what they said: J. Stephen Simon, Exxon: $12.5 millon. John Lowe, ConocoPhillips: Did not recall Peter Robertson, Chevron: Did not recall. John Hofmeister, Shell, $2.2 million. Robert Malone, BP America, $2 million. More »

(Newser) - Fuel costs are hitting the US military harder than most, the Wall Street Journal reports, and it's moving forward with efforts to switch to synthetic, and greener, alternatives. Chugging 340,000 barrels of oil per day, the military is the nation's largest consumer; synthetic fuels and massive solar arrays are already in use, and the military is considering nuclear plants on some remote bases. More »

(Newser) - Oil set yet another record today, with prices hitting $130.47 a barrel in electronic trading in Asia and Europe, the AP reports, on supply concerns and renewed worries about the dollar. Crude closed at $128.98 in the last New York Mercantile Exchange session. Oil futures have roughly doubled over the past year. More »

(Newser) - Stocks ended mixed today, as an early rally slipped away and oil prices hit yet another record. "There are still a lot of reasons you wouldn't want to touch the market with a 10-foot pole right now," one trader told the Wall Street Journal . The Dow ended up 41.36 at 13,028.16, the Nasdaq down 12.76 at 2,516.09, and the S&P 500 up 1.28 at 1,426.63 . More »

(Newser) - Saudi Arabia's leaders today denied a request from visiting President Bush that they boost oil production to help ease rising gas prices, the AP reports. "Supply and demand are in balance today," the kingdom's oil minister said, with the commodity pushing $128 per barrel. "How much does Saudi Arabia need to do to satisfy people who are questioning our oil practices and policies?" More »

(Newser) - Stocks fell, then climbed back almost to opening levels today to wrap up a generally strong week. Yet another record oil price—almost $128 a barrel—drove early losses, and a report of the lowest consumer-confidence rating in 28 years did not help. The Dow closed down 5.86 at 12,986.80, and the Nasdaq dropped 4.88, closing at 2,528.85. The S&P 500 gained 1.78 to close at 1,425.35. More »

(Newser) - Stocks rose for the fourth consecutive day today as deal-making buzz from Internet firms and a Tiffany’s-led retail rally offset a rise in weekly jobless claims and contraction in New York- and Philadelphia-region manufacturing, MarketWatch reports. The Dow rose 94.28, closing at 12,992.66, while the S&P 500 climbed 14.91 to settle at 1,423.75. The Nasdaq gained 37.03, to 2,533.73. More »

(Newser) - The House and Senate voted today for a pause in deposits to the Strategic Petroleum Reserve in an effort to stem rising prices, the Los Angeles Times reports. The White House expressed skepticism about the measure, but the Senate backed it 97-1 and the House passed a similar bill 385-25. It is expected to be sent to Bush within days. More »