In other Nymex-traded commodities, prices for petroleum products climbed, too. April gasoline RBJ5, -1.39% traded at $1.862 a gallon, up 2.6 cents, or 1.4%, while April heating oil added 4.1 cents, or 2.4%, to $1.769 a gallon.
April natural gas NGJ15, -0.60% turned lower to trade at $2.666 per million British thermal units, down 5.7 cents, or 2.1%. The EIA reported Thursday an increase of 12 billion cubic feet in last week’s natural-gas supplies. Analysts polled by Platts forecast a rise of 12 to 16 billion cubic feet.
Oil futures jumped past $50 a barrel on Thursday, headed for their fifth straight daily gain as Saudi Arabian airstrikes in Yemen raised fresh concerns over potential disruptions to crude supplies.
May crude CLK5, -1.79% climbed 98 cents, or 2%, to $50.19 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. It hit an intraday high of $52.48 a barrel, according to FactSet data.
May Brent crude LCOK5, -1.54% on London’s ICE Futures exchange rose $1.70, or 3%, to $58.18 a barrel.
Other metals traded on Comex climbed along with gold. May copper HGK5, -1.03% rose 1.9 cents, or 0.1%, to $2.811 a pound.
April platinum PLJ5, -0.31% tacked on $7.50, or 0.7%, to $1,154 an ounce and June palladium PAM5, -0.74% rose $7.95, or 1%, to $773.35 an ounce.