(New York) Oil prices held their monthly high on Thursday in a checkered session as investors remain confident in robust demand despite the spread of the Omicron variant.
The price of a barrel of Brent from the North Sea for delivery in February, which is the last day of use as a benchmark contract, grabbed 0.11% to 79.32 dollars.
He had passed the symbolic bar of 80 dollars Wednesday in session following US stocks in sharp decline.
In New York, a barrel of West Texas Intermediate (WTI) for the same month gained 0.56% to $ 76.99, its highest since November 25.
Crude prices resumed their upward course this month after plunging in late November with the appearance of the Omicron variant and the announcement that the United States was putting some of its strategic reserves on the market to lower oil prices. Classes.
Predictions of robust demand were bolstered by weekly data from the US Energy Information Agency (EIA), which reported a 3.6 million barrels drop in commercial crude reserves. American.
The energy market was also keeping an eye on the Russo-Western crisis around Ukraine.
Russian gas exports could be affected in the event of heightened tensions, as Russian President Vladimir Putin is due to speak on the phone with his American counterpart Joe Biden during the day.
Operators will also watch the monthly OPEC + meeting on January 4 to assess the state of the market and its supply policy for the following month and 2022.