MARK WILLIAMS
AP Energy Writer
Oil prices rose Friday as fewer workers than expected lost their jobs in February, a signal that the slow-healing employment market may soon boost demand for energy.
Benchmark crude for April delivery climbed 76 cents to $80.97 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract fell 66 cents to settle at $80.21 on Thursday.
The Labor Department said the unemployment rate was steady at 9.7 percent last month as employers cut 36,000 jobs. Analysts had expected 50,000.