<p>Oil prices rose on Thursday to extend several consecutive days of gains, buoyed by data showing US fuel demand holding up well despite soaring Omicron coronavirus infections.</p>.<p>Brent crude futures rose 17 cents, or 0.2 per cent, to $79.40 a barrel at 0217 GMT, climbing for a fourth day in a row.</p>.<p>US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures rose 23 cents, or 0.3 per cent, to $76.79 a barrel for a seventh straight session of gains.</p>.<p>US Energy Information Administration data on Wednesday showed crude oil inventories fell by 3.6 million barrels in the week to Dec. 24, which was more than analysts polled by <em>Reuters </em>had expected.</p>.<p>At the same time gasoline and distillate inventories fell, compared with analysts' forecasts for stock builds, indicating demand remains strong.</p>.<p>Further supporting sentiment, governments around the world were trying to limit the impact of record numbers of new Covid-19 infections on economic growth by easing testing rules and narrowing who needs to isolate as close contacts of positive cases.</p>.<p>China, the world's biggest oil importer, reported 207 new confirmed coronavirus cases and 27 new asymptomatic cases on Thursday, but no new deaths. Australian cases hit a new record of more than 19,000 daily infections.</p>.<p><strong>Watch the latest DH Videos here:</strong></p>
<p>Oil prices rose on Thursday to extend several consecutive days of gains, buoyed by data showing US fuel demand holding up well despite soaring Omicron coronavirus infections.</p>.<p>Brent crude futures rose 17 cents, or 0.2 per cent, to $79.40 a barrel at 0217 GMT, climbing for a fourth day in a row.</p>.<p>US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures rose 23 cents, or 0.3 per cent, to $76.79 a barrel for a seventh straight session of gains.</p>.<p>US Energy Information Administration data on Wednesday showed crude oil inventories fell by 3.6 million barrels in the week to Dec. 24, which was more than analysts polled by <em>Reuters </em>had expected.</p>.<p>At the same time gasoline and distillate inventories fell, compared with analysts' forecasts for stock builds, indicating demand remains strong.</p>.<p>Further supporting sentiment, governments around the world were trying to limit the impact of record numbers of new Covid-19 infections on economic growth by easing testing rules and narrowing who needs to isolate as close contacts of positive cases.</p>.<p>China, the world's biggest oil importer, reported 207 new confirmed coronavirus cases and 27 new asymptomatic cases on Thursday, but no new deaths. Australian cases hit a new record of more than 19,000 daily infections.</p>.<p><strong>Watch the latest DH Videos here:</strong></p>