Crude oil prices firmed on Thursday after falling 3 per cent the previous day after US government report about when a surprise increase in US fuel stocks.
US light sweet crude futures declined only 6 cents $44.18 a barrel after falling $1.52 on Wednesday on the NYMEX.
The New York Mercantile Exchange will be shut for Christmas Eve on Friday.
London Brent futures rose 7 cents to $40.71 a barrel.
Although prices are up 35 per cent since the start of the year, they have fallen sharply from the Oct. 25 all-time high of $55.67 a barrel as consumer inventories rose and a mild start to winter capped demand, particularly in the US Northeast.
