While the latest US sanctions on Russian energy trade affected supply, driving up spot trade prices and shipping rates, oil prices rose on Friday, heading for a fourth consecutive week of increases.

Brent crude oil futures traded 55 cents, or 0.7%, at $81.84 per barrel at 08:04 GMT and have gained 2.6% since the start of the week. West Texas Intermediate U.S. crude futures rose 72 cents, or 0.9%, to $79.4 per barrel, after climbing 3.6% in the

According to Toshitaka Tazawa, an analyst at Fujitomi Securities, “supply concerns related to US sanctions on Russian oil producers and tankers, combined with expectations of a recovery in demand fuelled by possible cuts in American interest rates, are supporting the crude market.”