Crude oil for January delivery was up 0.63% or 0.44 to $70.54 a barrel. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Brent oil for delivery in January rose 0.61% or 0.45 to hit $74.68 a barrel, while the December Gold Futures contract rose 0.98% or 26.15 to trade at $2,701.05 a troy ounce.