The International Energy Agency raised its forecast for 2006 growth in oil demand for the first time since Hurricane Katrina disrupted production in August.

It said more oil would be needed from the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries as U.S. consumption recovers. The Paris-based IEA, an adviser on energy matters to 26 industrialized countries, predicted that demand would grow by 1.79 million barrels a day next year, or 2.2 percent, to 85.18 million a day.