Tokyo — Oil prices rose on Thursday for a third straight session, as the risk of conflict in the Middle East stoked fears of supply disruptions, negating an unexpected rise in US inventories. Brent crude futures were at $72.16 a barrel at 3.49am GMT, up 39 cents, or 0.5%, from their last close. Brent closed up 0.7% on Wednesday. US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were at $62.41 per barrel, up 39 cents, or 0.6%, from their previous settlement. WTI closed up 0.4% in the last session. Analysts said oil was drawing support from heightened tensions in the Middle East, with helicopters carrying US staff from the American embassy in Baghdad on Wednesday out of apparent concern about perceived threats from Iran. While the gain in US inventories overnight is helping to cap prices, so too is uncertainty about whether Opec and other producers will maintain into the second half of the year supply cuts that have boosted prices more than 30% so far in 2019. The Organisation of the Pet...
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