Brent steadies at $112

Rally retreat: Brent falls off 12-week high but analysts believe bullish rates will continue

Brent crude oil steadied around $112 per barrel, retreating from 12-week highs but supported by worries over falling North Sea output and hopes for EU and US economic stimulus measures.

Brent has risen more than 25% since the end of June and hit $112.56 on Tuesday, its highest since mid-May, on expectations the world's largest economies would take more measures to stimulate growth.

Expectations that central banks will ease monetary policy and announce further rounds of quantitative easing (QE), moves likely to support commodities, have increased investors' appetite for riskier assets and pushed up equities.

Brent crude futures for September fell $1.15 to a low of $110.85, before recovering to trade around $111.90 by 1257 GMT. US crude was down 20 cents at $93.47. The US crude oil contract settled…

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