Around the World's Markets: New York

THE DOW JONES Industrial Average crept marginally higher in early trade in New York, and was trading up 15.44 points at 8839.26 by lunchtime.

Oil stocks, including Exxon and Chevron, rose on speculation that a military strike in Iraq would disrupt supply from the Gulf.

Computer-related stocks, however, fared poorly. The Nasdaq Composite was trading down 0.1 per cent at 1860.27 in early trade. Shares in Intel, the chip manufacturer, fell after hitting a new high on Wednesday.