But after only 16 minutes, prices began to trade above 352.80, and September contracts closed at 357.8, down 7 points.

Corn was 0.25 cent to 2 cents higher, with September contracts at $2.25 a bushel.

The focus on this new price could cause some confusion because it is lower than yesterday's closing price for the September contract.

The September contract for gasoline rose nearly a cent a gallon, to 88.5 cents.

The September contract settled 4.04 cents lower at $1.2122 a pound.

Both the August and September contracts traded up the daily limit.

The September contract ended up 0.75 cent, at $1.04 a pound, a level not reached since May 3.

In the last two weeks, the price for September contracts surged back above $20 a barrel, rising 49 cents today to $20.91.

September contracts for refined oil products also closed lower yesterday.

The September contract closed at $367.60 on Wednesday, its final trading day.