NEW YORK, Dec. 29 (UPI) -- Crude oil prices closed up sharply on the New York Mercantile Exchange Monday on news of tensions escalating in the Middle East.

Crude oil prices gained $2.43 to $40.14 per barrel. Heating oil prices gained 0.0399 cents to $1.2889 per gallon. Reformulated blendstock gasoline rose 0.0242 cents to 86.82 cents per gallon. Natural gas prices rose 0.304 cents to $6.13 per million British thermal units.


At the pump, the average price for a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline was $1.619 Monday, down 0.008 cents from Sunday's $1.627 a gallon, AAA said.