NEW YORK—Oil prices rose about 2 percent on Wednesday as a bigger-than-expected drop in U.S. crude stockpiles offset worries that further interest rate hikes could slow economic growth and reduce global oil demand.
Brent futures were up $1.31, or 1.8 percent, to $73.57 a barrel at 11:15 a.m. EDT (1515 GMT), while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude was up $1.40, or 2.1 percent, to $69.10.