Crude oil futures ended higher on Friday amid concerns about tensions in the Middle East after a report said Iran is planning further attacks on Israel. Further, some positive Chinese data helped a bit in pushing up oil prices. China's manufacturing activity returned to growth in October as companies ramped up production and purchasing to meet higher demand amid improving confidence. The Caixin manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index rose to 50.3 in October from 49.3 in September.
Benchmark crude oil futures for December delivery rose $0.23 or about 0.33 percent to settle at $69.49 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Brent crude for January delivery surged $0.29 or about 0.4 percent to settle at $73.10 a barrel on London's Intercontinental Exchange.