Oil rises slightly as market weighs mixed supply signals
Oil prices drifted slightly higher on Friday after China halted fuel exports, while the Wall Street Journal reported that the US is sending more troops and carriers to the Middle East as it also tries to make Europe draw down more emergency diesel. Brent was up 29 cents, or 0.28%, to $102.60 per barrel at 0022 GMT. West Texas Intermediate rose 27 cents, or 0.29%, to $93.14. On Thursday, Brent closed more than $4 higher and WTI was up over $2 following the WSJ report and the China export news, stoking fears that global fuel shortages could worsen.