Petrobras (PBR) (LINE) (GST) (EGY) (APA) Trading Mixed

Shares of Petrobras (NYSE:PBR), Linn Energy, LLC (NASDAQ:LINE), Gastar Exploration Ltd (AMEX:GST), Vaalco Energy (NYSE:EGY) and Apache Corp (NYSE:APA) were trading mixed today as oil prices were trading down in the session.

Crude-oil futures were trading down $0.79 to $97.65 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

U. S. crude oil prices also gained some back from earlier losses spurred by comments from the German Bundesbank, which said growth in Europe's largest economy will probably slow down.

Shares of oil companies like BP (NYSE:BP), Anadarko (NYSE:APC), Transocean and Cameron International (NYSE:CAM), all of which were connected to the Gulf oil spill, were all trading up on news of the settlement between BP and Macondo Well partner Mitsui (OTC:MITSY) to help pay for cleanup costs.

Apache Corp (APA) was trading at $123.21, gaining $0.36, or 2:17 percent, as of 2:10 PM EDT. Vaalco Energy (EGY) was at $6.92, down $0.01, or 0.15 percent. Gastar Exploration Ltd (GST) was trading at $3.55, up $0.09, or 2.60 percent. Linn Energy, LLC (LINE) was at $38.53, gaining $0.18, or 0.47 percent. Petrobras (PBR) was trading at $34.03, jumping $0.34, or 2:21 percent.

Whiting (WLL) (CLR) (KMP) (GST) (APA) Trade Mixed as Energy Falls

Shares of Whiting Petroleum (NYSE:WLL), Continental Resources (NYSE:CLR), Kinder Morgan Energy Partners (NYSE:KMP), Gastar Exploration Ltd (AMEX:GST) and Apache Corp (NYSE:APA) on Thursday as oil and gas were down on the day.

Benchmark crude for June delivery fell $1.63 to settle at $98.93 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

Brent crude oil for July delivery was down 23 cents, or 0.2 percent, to $112.07.

June, heating oil fell 1.12 cents to settle at $2.8947 a gallon, gasoline dropped 2.95 cents to $2.926 a gallon and natural gas fell 10.5 cents to $4.161 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Kinder Morgan Energy Partners (KMP) closed Thursday at $73.21, gaining $0.89, or 1.23 percent.

Baker Hughes (BHI) (LUFK) (OIS) (GST) (AXAS) Trade Up on Weak U.S. Dollar

Shares of oil and oil related companies Baker Hughes Incorporated (NYSE:BHI), Lufkin Industries, Inc. (NASDAQ:LUFK), Oil States Intl., Inc. (NYSE:OIS), Gastar Exploration Ltd (AMEX:GST) and Abraxas Petroleum Corp. (NASDAQ:AXAS) traded higher Wednesday after a report from the Energy Information Administration saying gas inventory was up less than expected and oil inventory was flat.

Benchmark West Texas Intermediate crude for June delivery was up $3.19, or 3.3 percent, to settle at $100.10 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

Retail gasoline prices continued to fall, dropping almost 2 cents on Wednesday for a national average of $3.926 a gallon. Gasoline demand continues to fall in wake of high prices at the pump.

Heating oil for June increased 6.08 cents to settle at $2.9059 a gallon and gasoline futures jumped 3.62 cents to settle at $2.9555 a gallon. Natural gas gained 2 cents at $4.266 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Brent crude rose $2.31 in London, or 2.1 percent, to settle at $112.30 a barrel on the ICE Futures exchange.

The U.S. dollar index, which measures the dollar against a basket of six currencies, traded at 75.438, down a little from 75.441 late Tuesday. That was also a factor in oil prices going up, as well as other commodity prices as well.

The euro traded at $1.4233, strengthening after falling to $1.4193 and up slightly from its $1.4219 close on Tuesday.

Traders bought commodities, including oil, on the weaker greenback.

Abraxas Petroleum Corp. (AXAS) closed Wednesday at $4.08, gaining $0.30, or 7.94 percent.

Shares of (FTK) (BHI) (LUFK) (OIS) (GST) Trade Down as Oil Continues to Fall

The share prices of Flotek Industries, Inc. (NYSE:FTK), Baker Hughes Incorporated (NYSE:BHI), Lufkin Industries, Inc. (NASDAQ:LUFK), Oil States Intl., Inc. (NYSE:OIS) and Gastar Exploration Ltd (AMEX:GST) traded down Monday as the falling price of oil and gas weighed on the companies.

U.S. crude futures fell 2.3 percent and gasoline futures dropped 5 percent to hit a nine-week low as worries mounted about high prices squelching energy demand and the fragile economy weigh on the industry.

Crude futures have fallen close to 15 percent so far on the month.

Oil futures were down 2.3 percent to $97.37 a barrel in New York. June Brent fell to $112.87, down 1 percent for Monday.

Gasoline futures for June delivery declined 14 cents, or 5.01 percent, to end the session at $2.93 a gallon, the lowest close since March 16.

U.S. gasoline at the retail level fell to $3.955 Monday from $3.961 Sunday. Diesel prices dropped $4.123 from $4.127.

June natural gas closed up 7 cents, or 1.7 percent, at $4.32 per million British thermal units. Natural gas prices were up on concerns flooding in Louisiana may cut back on supply.

Heating oil futures were down Monday, with the June heating oil contract closing at $2.87 a gallon, down 7 cents, or 2.3 percent.

Flotek Industries closed at $8.10, down $0.52, or 6.03 percent.

Anadarko (APC) (CRZO) (UPL) (EPD) (GST) Trade Mixed as Oil Prices Rebound

Shares of Anadarko (NYSE:APC), Carrizo Oil & Gas (NASDAQ:CRZO), Ultra Petroleum (NYSE:UPL), Enterprise Products Partners (NYSE:EPD) and Gastar Exploration Ltd (AMEX:GST) traded mixed as oil prices closed Friday in positive territory.

On the New York Mercantile Exchange, crude for June delivery on Friday settled at $99.65 a barrel, up 68 cents, or 0.69 percent, after trading in a range of $97.09 to $100.70.

For the week, front-month crude climbed $2.47, or 2.5 percent.

ICE Brent for June delivery settled at $113.83 a barrel, up 85 cents, or 0.75 percent, after trading in a range of $111.72 to $114.92. The Brent crude contract for July delivery was at 66 cents, or 0.6 percent higher on Friday, at $112.99. Last week, Brent crude jumped $4.70, or 4.3 percent.

The U.S. dollar index was up 0.8 percent higher at $75.72 as the euro was down 1 percent against the dollar at $1.411. On Friday, European officials said that Greece, Ireland and Portugal's sovereign debt problems may be worse than previously believed.

NYMEX June gasoline settled at $3.0744 a gallon, up 1.05 cents, or 0.34 percent, after trading in a range of $3.0342 to $3.1388.

For the week, front-month RBOB fell 1.57 cents, or 0.5 percent.

NYMEX June heating oil closed at $2.9422 a gallon, rising 2.85 cents, or 1 percent.

Front-month heating oil for last week was up 9.65 cents.

Anadarko (APC) closed Friday at $74.06, falling $0.27, or 0.36 percent.

BP (BP) (PTR) (BOLT) (OIS) (GST) Trade Positive as Oil, Gas Rise

Crude oil, natural gas and gasoline prices jumped Tuesday, pushing up the share prices of PetroChina (NYSE:PTR), Bolt Technology Corp. (NASDAQ:BOLT), Oil States Intl., Inc. (NYSE:OIS), Gastar Exploration Ltd (AMEX:GST) and BP (NYSE:BP).

Benchmark crude for May delivery rose $1.33 to settle at $103.88 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

Heating oil jumped 3.94 cents to settle at $3.0012 a gallon. Gasoline futures climbed 10.13 cents to settle at $3.3797 a gallon, while natural gas for June delivery increased 8.7 cents to settle at $4.303 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Uncertainty remains as to the effects of the flooding along the Mississippi River could have on regional refinery operations, which could slow down gasoline production and put upward pressure on prices.

Gastar Exploration Ltd (AMEX:GST) closed at $4.11, up $0.13, or 3.27 percent.

Oasis (OAS) (WLL) (FTI) (GST) (APC) Trade Mixed as Oil Prices Rebound

Most oil and related companies performed strong Monday, as Oasis Petroleum (NYSE:OAS), Whiting Petroleum (NYSE:WLL), FMC Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:FTI), Gastar Exploration Ltd (AMEX:GST) and Anadarko (NYSE:APC) traded mixed as the price of oil rebounded.

Gastar was the only one of the list above to close down Monday.

Crude oil for June delivery climbed $5.37 to settle at $102.55 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange, the largest one-day boost since February 22.

Brent crude for June settlement jumped $6.77, or 6.2 percent, to $115.90 a barrel on the London-based ICE Futures Europe exchange.

Wholesale gasoline prices soared 5 percent on Monday to $3.20 a gallon on fears that refineries in Mississippi may have to shut down because of the Mississippi River flooding.

The average U.S. price of a gallon of regular gasoline Monday fell by a penny to $3.96, according to AAA.

Immediate delivery futures of Texas crude oil rose $5.53 to $102.71 a barrel. Natural gas was up 0.06 cents to $4.17 per mbtu, while gasoline prices fell 20.17 cents to 329.18 cents a gallon.

Whiting Petroleum (WLL) closed Monday at $65.19, soaring $2.81, or 4.50 percent.

Top AMEX Losers (MGN) (IEC) (GST) (AFP) (AZK) (6-10) on May 6

The top American Stock Exchange losers (6-10) - as measured by percentages Friday on the Exchange - include Mines Management, Inc. (AMEX:MGN), IEC Electronics Corp. (AMEX:IEC), Gastar Exploration Ltd. (AMEX:GST), United Capital Corp. (AMEX:AFP) and Aurizon Mines, Ltd. (AMEX:AZK).

Mines Management, Inc. (MGN) closed Friday at $2.20, down $0.08, or 3.51 percent.

IEC Electronics Corp. (IEC) ended the day at $7.69, down $0.27, or 3.39 percent.

Gastar Exploration Ltd. (GST) closed at $4.00, falling $0.14, or 3.38 percent.

United Capital Corp. (AFP) closed at $25.56, declining $0.88, or 3.33 percent.

Aurizon Mines, Ltd. (AZK) closed Friday at $5.56, plunging $0.18, or 3.14 percent.