Closing prices for crude oil, gold and other commodities

Benchmark U.S. crude oil for February delivery rose 40 cents to $48.40 a barrel Wednesday. Brent crude oil for February delivery rose 25 cents to $51.34 a barrel.

Wholesale gasoline for January delivery rose 2 cents to $1.41 a gallon. January heating oil was little changed at $1.49 a gallon. February natural gas fell 5 cents to $2.42 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Gold for February delivery rose $12.90 to $1,893.40 an ounce. Silver for March delivery rose 39 cents to $26.57 an ounce and March copper was little changed at $3.55 a pound.

The dollar fell to 103.27 Japanese yen from 103.53 yen. The euro rose to $1.2290 from $1.2254.