Crude oil futures ended higher on Thursday, extending the rebound seen in the previous session, as vaccine rollouts bolstered the economic outlook. Meanwhile, the US House of Representatives gave final approval to one of the largest economic stimulus measures in American history, a sweeping $1.9 trillion Covid-19 relief bill that gives President Joe Biden his first major victory in office. Besides, Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister said the kingdom would take deterrent action to protect its oil facilities, following attacks by Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi movement on energy sites.
Crude oil futures for April rose $1.58 or about 2.45 percent to settle at $66.02 barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. May Brent crude gained $1.59 or 2.34 percent to settle at $69.46 a barrel on London's Intercontinental Exchange.