After the slump seen in October that kept crude down all through last month as well, demand is once again up in the world’s largest oil consumers giving a boost to West Texas Intermediate that brought it to its highest price in six weeks as Chinese imports rebounded and U.S. unemployment figures fell.
The commodity’s six-day advance was capped on 6th December and numbers remained relatively unchanged since then. The General Administration of Customs’ data showed that China’s net oil imports increased 19 percent to 5.73 million barrels per day, driving consumption out of its lowest levels in 14 months.
In the U.S., data released by the Labor Department on Friday showed that the unemployment rate fell to 7 percent, the lowest level in five years.
WTI to be delivered in January came in at $97.78 a barrel, an increase of 13 cents. The contract climbed 27 cents to $97.65 on 6th December the highest close since 29th October.