LOS ANGELES (MarketWatch) -- Crude-oil futures on Thursday finished at a four-month high, keying off supply concerns arising from the takeover of a natural-gas plant in Algeria by Islamist militants and the subsequent deaths of some hostages. Light, sweet crude for February delivery closed up $1.25, or 1.3%, at $95.49 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract traded as high as $96.04 a barrel. A report of better-than-expected housing starts in December and a decline in weekly jobless claims also provided support for oil futures. Market Pulse Stories are Rapid-fire, short ... Read More