Benchmark U.S. crude oil for March delivery rose 55 cents to $73.86 per barrel Wednesday. Brent crude for April delivery rose 62 cents to $79.21 per barrel.

Wholesale gasoline for March delivery rose 4 cents to $2.26 a gallon. March heating rose 8 cents to $2.82 a gallon. March natural gas fell 4 cents to $1.97 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Gold for April delivery rose 30 cents to $2,051.70 per ounce. Silver for March delivery fell 12 cents to $22.36 per ounce, and March copper fell 4 cents to $3.74 per pound.

The dollar rose to 148.14 yen from 147.97 Japanese yen. The euro rose to $1.0772 from $1.0749.