MW: Crude falls as data show service sectors contracts
By Moming Zhou
NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- Crude futures fell Thursday after the Institute for Supply Management said the service sectors of the U.S. economy contracted in November after two months of expansion. Crude for January delivery lost 0.5% to $76.21 a barrel, after rising as high as $77.50 in earlier trading. In other commodities, December gold futures slid 0.3% to $1,207.90 an ounce. The ISM's non-manufacturing index fell to 48.7% from 50.6% in October. Readings under 50% indicate more firms said business was worsening than said it was improving.
