Oil prices jumped above US$72 a barrel Friday in Asia from a 14-month low as investors bet fears that a severe global recession will devestate crude demand may be overblown, AP reported. Oil has fallen by about half since reaching a record US$147.27 on July 11. Light, sweet crude for November delivery was up US$3.02 to US$72.87 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange by midday in Singapore. The contract dropped overnight US$4.69 to settle at $69.85, the lowest settlement price since Aug. 23, 2007.