NYMEX October light sweet crude oil....>

US OIL CLOSE: NYMEX October light sweet crude oil futures settled up $1.07 at

$49.30 per barrel, after trading in a $48.12 to $49.40 (after hours) range.

- The front contract peaked Sept 6 at $49.42 and at the time stalled ahead of

its 200-day moving average, currently at $49.54.

- Only August 31, WTI posted a low of $45.58, the lowest since July 24, when the

front contract posted a low of $45.40.

- WTI posted a high of $50.22 on August 10. This came after topping out at

$50.43 August 1 and $50.41 July 31, which was also the last time West Texas

Intermediate closed above the $50 mark.

- As background, WTI topped out at $52.00 May 25, before the announcement of a

nine-month extension of OPEC/non-OPEC production cuts. The extension was largely

priced in and oil fell to $42.05 on June 21.