NEW YORK -- Oil prices jumped to a new six-month high Thursday as government reports showed that consumers are spending money and fewer people are requesting first-time unemployment benefits, according to The Associated Press.

Benchmark crude for July delivery added $1.28 to reach $64.73 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Oil fetched as much as $64.99 a barrel earlier in the day, the most since Nov. 10.