YAHOO[BRIEFING.COM]: After spending most of the session trading lower, crude oil futures rallied in afternoon trading to close roughly 14% higher at around $44.60 per barrel.  Crude traded with a gain of as much as 16.7% at its session high, but down 5.4% at its session low. 

Crude's advance came in the face of a bearish weekly inventory number this morning.  Inventory data indicated a build of 549,000 barrels, while a draw of 1.45 million barrels was expected.

Natural gas was unable to shake its weakness, however.  Natural gas closed roughly 4.4% lower at $5.60 per contract. 

Despite the mixed showing between crude and natural gas, the energy sector has shed early losses to trade markedly higher.  At its session low, energy was down 0.6%.  The sector is now up 1.9%.

Gold broke free from early weakness to close roughly 1.6% higher at $884.30 per ounce.  Gold was down as much as 1.5% at its session low.

Silver also closed with a gain.  It finished the session at approximately $11.30 per ounce, reflecting an advance of almost 3%.

Investors' interest in commodities has buoyed the CRB Commodity Index sharply higher this session.  The CRB Index was recently up 5.7%, which is its largest advance in about two months.

The gains in commodities are helping drive the materials sector higher.  Materials are up 1.9% currently. 

End of Quarter Update:  The materials sector has dropped 31% this quarter.  Only financials (-37.8% quarter-to-date) have fared worse this quarter