Oil advanced after a Bloomberg report showed U.S. retailers had their best holiday sale in five years. Energy analysts expect crude oil to keep advancing. The president of Oil Outlooks & Opinions, LLC said, “We’re staying in the $90.00 area, with an eye on hitting $100.00 in the New Year. Demand is picking up and should rise further in coming months.” Crude oil for February delivery gained $0.49 to settle at $91.49 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.