Oil higher

Oil prices rose slightly on Tuesday as traders paused for breath after sharp falls the previous day and kept an eye on a strengthening dollar. New York's main contract, light sweet crude for delivery in December, added nine cents to 78.77 dollars a barrel. Brent North Sea crude for December rose 12 cents to 77.38 dollars in early London deals. Crude oil fell sharply on Monday as the dollar rose and on expectations of easing violence in Nigeria, whose crude production has been ravaged by militant attacks. The New York contract 1.82 dollars and London Brent tumbled 1.66 dollars on Monday.