Oil prices hovered above $72 a barrel Wednesday, the Associated Press reported. Benchmark crude for October delivery was up only 12 cents at $72.17 a barrel by midday European time in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. In other Nymex trading, gasoline for September delivery gained 1.38 cents to $2.0208 a gallon and heating oil added 1.17 cents to $1.8676 a gallon. Natural gas edged down by 1.3 cents to $2.869 per 1,000 cubic feet. In London, Brent crude rose 25 cents to $72.07.
