Crude Prices Gain on Positive US Economic News

摘要

Benchmark crude oil prices gained on Friday primarily due to economic news supporting the notion that the US economy is beginning to pick up a full head of steam. US industrial production increased for a fifth month in a row in December, to a new all-time record high level. Industrial output in the US increased 0.3% month-on-month, after jumping a revised 1.0% in November. For the fourth quarter as a whole, output at US factories, mines and utilities gained 6.8% on an annual basis, the fastest quarterly growth since the second quarter of 2010.