Oil surges helped by robust US jobs report

Oil prices scored strong gains for a second day Friday, helped by a surprisingly robust jobs report in the United States, the world's largest crude consumer. US benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) for March delivery advanced $1.21 (2.4 percent) to settle at $51.69 a barrel. After several days of volatile trade in a market worried about ample supplies and slowing global economic growth, the two key futures contracts posted their best weekly performances since February 2011: WTI jumped 13