NEW YORK, Aug 26 (Reuters) - U.S. crude oil futures ended higher on Friday, on hopes the U.S. Federal Reserve would cobble together more aid for the weak economy, though its chief, Ben Bernanke, stopped short of detailing further action to boost the U.S recovery.
Traders also positioned ahead of the arrival of powerful Hurricane Irene on the East Coast, as oil terminals, refineries, pipelines, and other energy infrastructure prepared for a stormy weekend.
On the New York Mercantile Exchange, crude for October delivery rose for a second day and settled at $85.37 a barrel, gaining 7.00 cents as it crawled back from the session low of $82.95. For the week, front-month crude gained $3.11, or 3.78 percent, snapping a four-week losing streak. (Reporting by Gene Ramos)