Crude oil prices resume a retreat

Oil prices dropped to less than $84 per barrel in New York Thursday in a price correction that market analysts had predicted. On the New York Mercantile Exchange, West Texas Intermediate crude oil for July delivery fell from an overnight high of $87.03 per barrel to $84.85. Natural gas for July delivery lost 1.04 cents to $2.317 per million British thermal units. Home heating oil shed 1.42 cents to $2.6575 per gallon. RBOB gasoline futures for July delivery lost 1.59 cents to $2.6744 per gallon. At the pump, the national average price of unleaded gasoline dropped a half-cent for the second consecutive day, falling to $3.56 per gallon from Wednesday's $3.565, AAA said.