Снимка: Eni

(Bloomberg) -- Crude oil futures rebounded from a seven-week low on speculation demand will improve as the global economy recovers from its worst recession since World War II.

A U.S. government report tomorrow may show wholesale inventories increased for a third month in December, according to economists surveyed by Bloomberg News. Investors are seeing oil's decline as a buying opportunity after crude dropped as low as $69.50 a barrel on Feb. 5. Oil also gained after Nigerian rebels said they disabled a pipeline operated by Royal Dutch Shell Plc.

Crude oil for March delivery rose as much as 95 cents, or 1.3 percent, to $72.14 a barrel in after-hours electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. It was at $71.44 at 2:40 p.m. in Singapore.

The contract dropped 2.7 percent to $71.19 a barrel on Feb. 5, the lowest settlement since Dec. 15. Prices plunged 7.8 percent the past three sessions as debt worries in Europe lifted the dollar to an eight-month high against the euro and higher- than-forecast job losses in the U.S. depressed global stock and commodity prices.

March Brent crude, the pricing benchmark for most African oil grades, rose as much as 85 cents, or 1.2 percent, to $70.44 a barrel on the London-based ICE Futures Europe exchange. It was at $69.90 at 2:43 p.m. Singapore time.

Authors of the English text: Christian Schmollinger and Ann Koh