By Nick Godt
NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- Crude oil futures came off earlier lows on Thursday, after the Philadelphia Federal Reserve's manufacturing index improved more than expected in December. Crude oil for January delivery was down 30 cents, or 0.4%, at $72.36 a barrel, well off an earlier low of $71.65 in electronic trade, according to FactSet Research. The Philadelphia Fed's index on manufacturing rose to 20.4 this month from 16.7. Economists surveyed by MarketWatch expected the index to rise to 17.
