After posting a sharp decrease, the number...

After posting a sharp decrease, the number of oil and gas drilling rigs working in the United States recovered some this week, increasing by 22 to a total of 986, Baker Hughes Inc. reported. In the previous week, the rig count had dropped by 62 to total 964. Although the rig count usually declines during the first few months of the year, that plunge was particularly large for a single week. A year ago, the count was 802, the Houston-based oil toolmaker said.