Brent jumps nearly US$3 after US air strike kills Iran, Iraq officials

Brent crude futures jumped nearly US$3 to hit a high of $69.16 a barrel, the highest since Sept. 17. The front-month Brent March contract was at $68.25 a barrel, up $2.00, or 3%, by 0258 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures rose $1.76, or 2.9%, to $62.94 a barrel. Earlier, it touched $63.84 a barrel, highest since May 1

SINGAPORE (Reuters): Brent crude futures jumped nearly US$3 on Friday after a US air strike in Baghdad killed top Iranian and Iraqi military commanders, sparking concerns of disruption to Middle East oil supplies.

Brent crude futures hit an intraday high of US$69.16 a barrel, their highest since Sept 17, before easing to US$68.42, up US$2.17 or 3.28% by 0806 GMT.