By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Feb. 22 -- Oil prices edged up Feb. 21 in London , hovering near a 3-week high set Feb. 17 on the International Petroleum Exchange.
The April contract for North Sea Brent crude increased by 24¢ to $46.58/bbl in thin trading on IPE. The New York Mercantile Exchange was closed Feb. 21 for a national holiday, US Presidents' Day.
The average price for the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries' basket of seven benchmark crudes gained 44¢ to $43.12/bbl on Feb. 21
Oil boycott threatened
Meanwhile, on his weekly radio program, Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez threatened to suspend oil exports to the United States if any attempt is made to assassinate him. He said US President George W. Bush would be to blame for any attempt to kill Chávez.
A week earlier, Chávez claimed that Cuban President Fidel Castro had warned him of a US assassination plot.
Venezuela is a major exporter of crude and refined products to the US and one of the founders of OPEC.
