In the wake of crude oil prices, Total won nearly 4% to 35.8 euros at midday, at the top of the CAC40. Driven by the latest information on future vaccines against Covid-19 and the hope of seeing the first vaccinations take place as early as December 11 in the United States if the product developed by Pfizer is authorized, the barrel of US light crude (WTI) for January delivery gains 1.4% to $ 43 on the Nymex, at the highest since the beginning of September. The barrel of Brent from the North Sea advanced 1.5% to $ 45.6.

Despite lockdown measures in Europe and the spread of the pandemic in the United States, global crude inventories would begin to decline. The amount of oil stored on offshore tankers fell to 115 million barrels last week, the lowest level since April, Vortexa data showed.

China has also reduced its high oil inventories due on the one hand to rising domestic demand, and on the other hand, to lower imports due to the fact that independent refiners have used most of their quota. At the end of the year, it's completely unseasonal," Li Li, an analyst at ICIS-China, told Bloomberg.

On the supply side, Houthi rebels in Yemen claimed to have hit a Saudi Aramco fuel distribution center in Jeddah on the saudi kingdom's west coast with a missile. The Houthis have been stepping up cross-border attacks on Saudi Arabia since last May and the expiry of a truce in the face of the coronavirus pandemic. The Saudi-led coalition, which has been intervening militarily in Yemen since 2015, has in response carried out airstrikes against territories held by the Houthis. They control most of the north of the country, including the capital Sana'a.

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and its allies, led by Russia, could also extend its agreement to limit the cartel's production by several months. OPEC+ meets next week.

"A positive risk sentiment, a weaker dollar and these unconfirmed missile attacks are supporting oil," said Giovanni Staunovo, an analyst at UBS.