Commodities: Dollar climbs above $111
Oil prices rose on Monday, helped by a weaker dollar and a stronger than expected report on US retail sales.
On the New York Mercantile Exchange US light crude oil for May delivery rose $1.62 to settle at $111.76 a barrel. Prices reached an intraday high of $111.99, near last week's record high of $112.21.
Concern about consumer spending has recently been weighing on oil sentiment but better than expected figures for March retail sales lifted confidence.
Disruptions in US and Nigerian pipelines also supported prices. Media reports said Italy's biggest energy firm Eni lost total output of about 5,000 barrels a day at one of their oil plants in Nigeria following a fire.
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Royal Dutch Shell's Capline pipeline was closed at the weekend after a leak was discovered.
Among precious metals COMEX gold for June delivery rose $1.70 to settle at $928.70 an ounce helped by the weaker dollar.
Persistent worries about the outlook for the global economy also boosted its safe haven qualities. A better than expected retail sales report pared gold's rise earlier in the session. It reached an intraday high of $934.50 on Monday.
July platinum futures fell $46.60 to end at $1,981.50 an ounce while silver for may rose 10 cents at $17.79 an ounce.
