PERTH, July 3 : Oil prices rose slightly on Friday before a long holiday weekend in the U.S. as wary optimism held over efforts to make peace in the Middle East between the United States and Iran. Brent futures were up 17 cents, or 0.24 per cent, to $72.10 a barrel as of 0155 GMT. West Texas Intermediate was

Brent crude futures were up 50 cents, or 0.69%, at $73.45 a barrel at 1208 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude rose 63 cents, or 0.91%, to $70.13 a barrel.

Crude futures recover early losses ahead of the U.S. Independence Day holiday. Prices are hovering near pre-conflict levels with market focus on the resumption of flows through…