SINGAPORE: Brent crude steadied above $107 a barrel on Friday, heading for a second weekly gain in three on optimism US jobs data due later in the day will add to recent signs of economic improvement in the world's top oil consumer.
"The market is playing a bit of wait and see, but in general there is quite a bit of optimism we'll get good numbers and that is supporting oil," said Ben Le Brun, a market analyst at OptionsXpress in Sydney.
Large price swings are not expected ahead of the US non-farm payrolls data due at 1330 GMT.
A Reuters poll points to a recovery in US jobs growth to 185,000 in January from a measly 74,000 in December.
Brent crude was up 17 cents at $107.36 at 0707 GMT, after rising almost a percent in the previous session - its biggest daily gain since Jan. 22.
The bullish performance on Thursday stemmed partly from a report that showed the number of Americans filing new unemployment benefit claims fell slightly more than expected last week.
US crude was down 16 cents at $97.68, hurt by expectations of lower demand during peak maintenance season.
Brent's premium to the US benchmark was at $9.68 a barrel. The spread narrowed to $7.94 a barrel on Wednesday, the tightest since Oct. 10.
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