U.S. crude prices rose for a fourth straight session on Thursday, headed for a 9 percent weekly gain in the lead-up to Christmas as the market tightened on the back of falling supplies and looming exports. Front-month West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures CLc1 were trading at $37.82 per barrel at 0749 GMT (2.49 a.m. ET), up 32 cents on the day and set for the biggest weekly gain since early October. With internationally traded Brent futures LCOc1 trading at $37.79 a barrel, U.S. crude defended a small premium which it regained this week for the first time in around a year CL-LCO1=R. The strengthening U.S. market is a result of falling stocks, reduced drilling activity, and looming exports following the lifting of a 40-year old ban […]