The price of oil has risen to a high for the week after a positive reading on the US job market.
By midday in New York, benchmark oil for July delivery was up $1.36 to $95.10 a barrel.
Oil earlier rose as high as $95.32.
Oil prices received support from the latest government unemployment update.
The US Labour Department said that the number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits fell 11,000 last week to a seasonally adjusted 346,000, a level consistent with steady job growth.
The claims figures come a day ahead of the monthly payrolls report, which often sets the tone across financial markets for a week or two after its release.
Oil prices are still expected to stay within a tight range for now, as supplies are ample and demand remains restrained by a tepid global economic recovery.
"The market has been stuck in neutral for some time and it's hard to see how any analyst can be so bold as to see a major move on the chart forming in the near term," said Carl Larry of Oil Outlooks and Opinions in a market commentary.
Brent crude, a benchmark for many international oil varieties, was up 67 cents to $103.63 a barrel on the ICE Futures exchange in London.
