Oil prices steady, boosted by US economic data

NEW YORK: Oil NSE -0.75 % prices were steady on Thursday, bolstered by strong US economic data that offset investors’ concerns about the potential for a rise in Iranian supplies.

Brent fell 2 cents to $68.85 a barrel by 10:52 a.m. EDT (1452 GMT). US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude was unchanged at $66.21 a barrel.

The number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits dropped more than expected last week, according to data from the US Labor Department.