Royal Dutch Shell jumped 3.9% after it said it would sell its Permian Basin assets to ConocoPhillips for $9.5 billion in cash, exiting the largest US oilfield
Brent crude was down 53 cents, or 0.7 pc, at $71.47 a barrel by 1:25 p.m. EDT (1725 GMT). U.S. West Texas Intermediate oil declined 35 cents to $68.01 a barrel, snapping a three day rally.