Crude oil turns higher

Crude oil prices climbed past $101 on the New York Mercantile Exchange, given a boost by an upswing in equity markets. After a 10-day slump on Wall Street, equities swung higher Tuesday morning. Oil, which followed equities on the way down, turned higher, as well. West Texas Intermediate crude oil for May delivery added 49 cents to $101.51. Home heating oil prices shed 0.1 cents to $3.0947 per gallon. Reformulated blendstock gasoline gave up 1.38 cents to $3.2358 per gallon. Natural gas prices gained 0.5 cents to $2.036 per million British thermal units. At the pump, the national average price of unleaded gasoline dropped a half a cent, falling to $3.915 per gallon from Tuesday's $3.922, AAA said.