New Delhi, Mar 10 (IANS): Oil prices rose on Thursday amid confusion over whether major producers would help to plug a gap in supplies from Russia, BBC reported.
The United Arab Emirates had appeared to push the members of the Opec producer group to raise output, only for the UAE's energy minister to quash hopes. The oil price rose more than 5 pert cent, after a 17 per cent fall on Wednesday.
"To suggest the oil market is confused would be an understatement," said analyst Stephen Innes.
US President Joe Biden and other leaders have pledged to try to ease the price pressures for households. Officials from the US have been in talks with oil producers aimed at boosting supply.
"We favour production increases and will be encouraging Opec to consider higher production levels," Ambassador Yousuf Al Otaiba said in a statement tweeted by the UAE Embassy in Washington, BBC reported.
But Energy Minister Suhail al-Mazrouei said later that the Gulf state remained committed to the existing Opec monthly output agreement, which fixes how much crude is produced by member countries.
Oil prices have jumped more than 30 per cent since February 24, when Russia launched military attack against Ukraine, touching $139 a barrel at one point this week.
The oil price had fallen back to about $106 a barrel at one point on Wednesday, but by Thursday morning it was trading at around $116 per barrel.