Baker Hughes data show a weekly decline in active U.S. oil-drilling rigs

Baker Hughes
BKR,
+1.39%
on Friday reported that the number of active U.S. rigs drilling for oil fell by 4 to 552 this week. The total active U.S. rig count, which includes those drilling for natural gas, declined by 8 to stand at 687, according to Baker Hughes. The number of active natural-gas drilling rigs stood at 130, down 5 for the week. Oil prices continued to trade higher in Friday dealings, with July West Texas Intermediate crude contract
CLN23,
+0.99%
up 45 cents, or 0.6%, at $71.07 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.