¡¡ ¡¡NEW YORK, January 27 (Xinhuanet) -- Crude oil prices rose slightlyThursday as traders were waiting for the Iraqi election and the meeting of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).

    On the New York Mercantile Exchange, oil futures for March delivery rose 6 cents to end at 48.84 dollars a barrel. However, in London the March Brent crude-oil futures contract fell 7 cents to settle at 46.44 dollars per barrel on the International Petroleum Exchange.

    Iraqi exports had been reduced because of attacks on pipelines in the run-up to the Jan. 30 election. Meanwhile, OPEC's members would meet on the same day to discuss next steps.

    "We will test 50 dollars before the weekend," said an energy analyst in New York. "OPEC has downplayed the likelihood of a cut this weekend but they have left the door open for a change in March."

    Iraq had the third-biggest crude-oil reserves, while OPEC pumped more than a third of the world's oil.

    OPEC members agreed on Dec. 10 to cut production by 1 million barrels a day starting Jan. 1. They might choose to reduce output again at their March meeting in Iran. Enditem