Crude oil and copper prices rose Tuesday following the latest positive signs that the U.S. economy was improving.

Increases in orders for manufactured goods and new home sales last month suggested that a pickup in the economy could cause demand for energy and basic building materials to rise.

Oil for February delivery rose 31 cents, 0.3 percent, to close at $99.22 in a shortened session on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

U.S. financial markets will be closed Wednesday for Christmas.

In other energy trading, natural gas fell 5 cents, or 1.1 percent, to $4.469 per 1,000 cubic feet (28.32 cubic meters).

In metals trading, the actively traded March contract for copper rose 6.65 cents, or 2 percent, to $3.374 a pound.

February gold rose $6.30, or 0.5 percent, to $1,203.30 an ounce. March silver rose 7.1 cents, or 0.4 percent, to $19.48 an ounce. January platinum rose $9.10, or 0.7 percent, to $1,336.50 an ounce

March palladium edged down 20 cents, less than 0.1 percent, to $695.45 an ounce

Crop futures were mixed.

Corn for March delivery rose a quarter of a penny, or 0.1 percent, to $4.345 a bushel, March soybeans rose three cents, or 0.2 percent, to $13.2275 a bushel. March wheat fell 3.25 cents, or 0.5 percent, to $6.0625 a bushel.

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