Brent finished near $45, up 1.72%, and WTI ended up 0.98% at $42.15.

Oil prices ended higher on Friday, buoyed by hope for vaccines against COVID-19 but also by investors' concern to position themselves before a week of Thanksgiving in the United States where trade will be sparse.

The North Sea Brent crude contract for January delivery gained 1.72% or 76 cents from Thursday's close at $44.96.

In New York, the US barrel of WTI for December rose 0.98% or 41 cents to $42.15.

Both benchmarks have gained around 4% since the start of the week.

“Demand concerns, which have weighed on prices since the spring, are now giving way to hopes of economic recovery, thanks in particular to the imminent launch of vaccines,” said Eugen Weinberg, analyst at Commerzbank.

"I wouldn't read too much interpretation in today's session as traders take positions ahead of a holiday week that is usually weak in trading," O'Grady said. of Confluence Investment.

In addition, even if the health authorities have recommended that Americans avoid traveling for the traditional family holiday of Thanksgiving, "they are also very stubborn on the issue", predicts the expert who is betting on a week of travel, although much less. than in previous years.

Investors also remained attentive to a possible disagreement within OPEC+.

“OPEC+ production discipline, the main factor supporting supply, could run out of steam,” warned Eugen Weinberg, an analyst at Commerzbank.

The United Arab Emirates, currently the third-largest producer in the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) after Saudi Arabia and Iraq, "has recently shown some reluctance to continue to fully implement voluntary reductions in beyond the end of the year,” he continued.

Members of the alliance of producing countries, known by the acronym OPEC+, will meet at the end of the month to decide on the quantities of crude that will return to the market on January 1, or later.

The resumption of US budget discussions were also likely to support crude prices, said Jeffrey Halley of Oanda.

The teams of elected Democrats and Republicans from the Senate and the House of Representatives met Thursday afternoon to discuss the question of a recovery plan.