LONDON (SHARECAST) - Crude oil futures gained 2% on Tuesday as US stocks snapped a three-day losing streak with focus turning to quarterly earnings and Japan's pledge to buy eurozone bonds. Oil for February delivery rose $1.86 to settle at $91.11 a barrel in New York. Demand was also bolstered by the weaker dollar, easing European debt jitters and supply disruptions due to the closure of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline after a leak was found at the weekend. Oil price forecasts from the Energy Information Administration also increased appetite for oil. The government agency said crude oil trading is expected to average $92 a barrel in the first quarter of 2011 and rise to $93 for the remainder of the year. Meanwhile increased seasonal demand for gold and lingering unease about the European debt crisis sent gold futures up over $10 an ounce on Tuesday. Gold for February delivery rose $10.20 to settle at $1,384.30 an ounce on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange. Silver for March delivery added 64 cents to $29.50 an ounce.

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