14.12.201715:10:00UTC+00Crude Oil Rises To $57 As Retail Sales Climb

Crude oil was up Thursday as traders weighed a flurry of ecnonomic news.

Jan. WTI oil climbed 44 cents, or 0.8%, to settle at $57.04/bbl.

U.S. import prices increased in line with economist estimates in the month of November, while export prices rose by much more than anticipated.

The Labor Department said its import price index climbed by 0.7 percent in November after inching up by 0.1 percent in October.

Retail sales in the U.S. increased by much more than anticipated in the month of November, the Commerce Department revealed in a report released on Thursday.

The report said retail sales climbed by 0.8 percent in November after rising by an upwardly revised 0.5 percent in October.