Crude oil prices dip in quiet trade

Business Live: Oil prices slipped on Friday in quiet trading after three days of gains, but took support from Saudi Arabia halting crude transport through a key shipping lane, falling US inventories and easing trade tension between Washington and Europe.

Brent futures were down 22c or 0.3% at $74.32 a barrel by 2.36am GMT, after gaining 0.8% on Thursday.

US West Texas Intermediate futures were 7c lower at $69.54, after posting a nearly 0.5% gain the previous session.