Crude oil steadies as demand jitters counter conflict in West Asia

Global oil benchmark Brent crude was little changed on Monday, hovering around $83 a barrel as festering demand concerns were offset by continuing conflict in the Middle East.
Brent crude futures eased by 14 cents to $83.33 a barrel by 1243 GMT.
The March contract for U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude, which expires on Tuesday, was up 7 cents at $79.26 in tepid trade while the WTI April contract slipped 13 cents to $78.33.
Front-month Brent and WTI futures last week gained about 1.5% and 3% respectively, reflecting increasing risk of Middle East conflict widening.