West Texas Intermediate crude is trading at $24.25 having traveled from a low of $23.12 to a high of $25.14. Also, President Donald Trump's comments that he is not looking at a months' long shutdown eased fears that official travel restrictions could be extended for far longer than currently announced helped to encourage some additional profit-taking.

Oil futures ended higher and were extending their gain to a second straight session, a day after the Federal Reserve unveiled a historic round of monetary stimulus. The markets now await Congressional approval of a massive fiscal stimulus package as a further booster.