Oil prices edged up in Asian trade on Friday, heading for a weekly gain of more than 3%, as U.S. jobs data calmed demand concerns and fears of a widening Middle East conflict persisted.
Brent crude futures rose 9 cents, or 0.11%, to $79.25 a barrel by 0406 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures were up 12 cents at $76.31 per barrel.
Both Brent and WTI were set to gain more than 3% on a weekly basis. Israeli forces stepped up airstrikes across the Gaza Strip on Thursday, killing at least 40 people, Palestinian medics said, in further battle with Hamas-led militants as Israel braced for potential wider war in the region.
“Crude oil continued its recovery from its recent plunge as elevated geopolitical risks came into focus,” said ANZ analyst Daniel Hynes.
The killing last week of senior members of militant groups Hamas and Hezbollah had raised the possibility of retaliatory strikes by Iran against Israel, stoking concerns over oil supply from the world’s largest producing region.
Iran-aligned Houthi militants continued attacks this week on international shipping near Yemen, in solidarity with Palestinians in the war between Israel and Hamas.
