Oil prices were off slightly as investors digested the latest US Employment Report, falling by 35 cents at $74.67 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. On Thursday, oil gained $1.11 to $75.02 a barrel.

Oil prices have traded between $70 and $80 for most of the past year as the global economy recovered from last year’s recession, but developed countries struggled to regain strong growth. U.S. crude and fuel inventories have remained high, suggesting the demand for fuel remains sluggish.