Oil Scores a Gain For The Session, Up 3.3% For The Month

Oil futures settled higher Friday, finding support after Baker Hughes data showed that the number of active U.S. oil-drilling rigs fell in the past week. Prices also scored gains for the week and the month. December crude settled at $46.59 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange, up 53 cents, or 1.2%, for the session. Based on the most-active contracts, that was the highest settlement since Oct. 16. Prices saw a weekly gain of 4.5% and climbed 3.3% for the month.