Oil Prices Soar: Oil futures prices rocketed...

Oil Prices Soar: Oil futures prices rocketed past the $20-a-barrel mark as the momentum that began building on Monday swept the market higher for the fifth consecutive day. On the New York Mercantile Exchange, the April contract for West Texas Intermediate crude, the benchmark grade of U.S. oil, leaped 49 cents to a 19-month high of $20.33 a barrel in moderate trading. It was the highest level since Aug. 14, 1987, when crude prices were $20.57 a barrel, and capped a weeklong rally during which prices rose $1.83 a barrel from last Friday’s close of $18.50.