By
"Oil prices in general are still expected to be supported by protests in the Middle East," said Chen Xin Yi, commodities analyst for Barclays Capital.Crude has risen over the past few weeks amid supply concerns in the volatile region as demonstrators have taken to the streets seeking the ouster of their leaders, with the presidents of Egypt and Tunisia already going.
The demonstrations have led to similar movements in other Arab states, including Iran, Yemen and Bahrain, drawing inspiration from the successes.US President Barack Obama on Tuesday warned autocratic US allies they cannot crush the Middle East's "hunger" for change and offered "moral support" to Iranian protesters defying a crackdown.