Crude oil down slightly

Crude oil prices fell slightly overnight on the New York Mercantile Exchange, as petroleum prices seem to have found a temporary perch near $42 per barrel.

Crude oil began the week above $46. Three weeks ago, crude oil started the week at $37.50 per barrel.

As demand has softened overall, traders are beginning to anticipate higher gasoline demand in the spring and summer, The Wall Street Journal reported.

Crude oil prices dropped 20 cents overnight to $41.34 per barrel. Heating oil prices gained 0.0292 cents to $1.4575 per gallon. Reformulated blendstock gasoline dropped 0.0033 cents to $1.2276 per gallon. Natural gas prices fell 0.062 cents to $4.514 per million British thermal units.

At the pump, the average price for a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline was $1.846 Friday, up from Thursday’s $1.843 a gallon, AAA said.