London, Rabi'I 20, 1439, Dec 8, 2017, SPA -- Oil prices edged up during this day trades, helped by rising Chinese crude demand and threats of a strike, in Africa’s largest oil exporter. Brent benchmark crude was up US$1.04 cents at $63.24 a barrel, however it was heading for a weekly slide of just under 1 percent, according to Reuters, WAM reported. On the other hand, U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude was at $56.66 a barrel, up 97 cents from their last settlement. The contract was on track for a 1.2 percent loss during the week. China’s crude oil imports rose to 9.01 million bpd, the second highest on record, data from the General Administration of Customs showed on Friday. Booming demand will push China ahead of the United States, as the world’s biggest net crude importer, this year. U.S. investment bank Jefferies forecast 2018 global oil demand growth of 1.5 million bpd, driven by almost 10 percent demand growth in China. -- SPA 17:38 LOCAL TIME 14:38 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/w558197