Oil edged higher as investors bet on stronger Chinese demand and as a weaker dollar made commodities more attractive for many buyers.
West Texas Intermediate rose toward $81 a barrel after ending little changed on Wednesday as US earnings rolled in. The number of virus-related deaths and severe cases at hospitals in China is now 70% lower than peak levels in early January, authorities said late on Wednesday. That should set the stage for a recovery in mobility and fuel consumption in the biggest oil importer.
