Washington Post: Oil prices drop as talks stall between Obama and Republican leaders to avert a ‘fiscal cliff’

Oil closed above $90 a barrel for the first time in two months Thursday as it tracked an upward move in U.S. stock markets. Benchmark crude for February delivery ended the day at $90.13 per barrel, up 15 cents, on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Brent crude, used to price international varieties of oil, dropped 16 cents to finish at $110.20 per barrel in London. Meanwhile, gasoline prices continued to drop, while natural gas prices surged more than 4 percent.